GOP GROUP APPLAUDS ESSEX DEMOCRAT’S CALL TO ABOLISH ARBITRATION FOR UNIONS

 GOP STRONG  

Fighting For

Republican Victories

Mike Ramaglia 201-697-7699                                               

O’Toole, Russo,

Rumana Called To

Action 

PASSAIC COUNTY  -- Essex County Executive Joseph DiVencenzo has opened the door to the possibility of doing away with binding arbitration for public employees – a surprising but welcome move for taxpayers – say the leaders of GOP Strong, a conservative Republican organization. 

“We think Mr. DiVincenzo is absolutely correct; binding arbitration has been a tremendous burden on taxpayers and is largely responsible for the ever increasing salaries, wages and benefits of public employee unions throughout New jersey,” said GOP Strong Co-Chairman Michael Ramaglia. 

Ramaglia said DiVincenzo’s stance should be taken up by more Republicans  -- besides Mayor Heymann – such as State Sen. Kevin O’Toole, (R-Essex) who is also the Essex County Republican Chairman, and Assemblymen David Russo (R-Bergen) and Scott Rumana (R-Passaic County) who is also the GOP county chairman.

“It’s ironic and embarrassing to the Republican Party to have a Democrat like DiVincenzo taking the lead on such an important issue,” said Ramaglia, who applauded Mayor Heymann’s stance on the issue.

“Republican lawmakers should be rushing to join the county executive and Mayor Heymann’s, but so far we don’t any  such stampede. Maybe it’s because they are too busy meeting union leaders and lobbyists on the Chamber of Commerce train ride to Washington DC,”  quipped Ramaglia.

“Our hope is that Republican lawmakers from Bergen, Passaic and Essex counties wake up to the opportunity offered by Mr. DiVincenzo and stop standing on the sidelines with their hands in their pockets doing nothing to stop the escalation of public employee salaries,” added Ramaglia, a West Milford resident. 

Robert Fass, a GOP Co-Chair, said binding arbitration has been a disaster for taxpayers and must be repealed.

“The arbitrators do not take into account the ability of the community to pay for increases in salary and benefits that are way beyond the reach of anything available in the private sector,” said Fass, a business owner. 

Fass said in many middle class communities, the salary and benefits packages of teachers, police officers and fire fighters far exceed the median income of homeowners.

“New Jersey has created an untenable situation where Democrat and Republican politicians like O’Toole, Rumana and Russo are so afraid of public employee unions that they have allowed  the continuation of an arbitration system that forces taxpayers to fund a public employee lifestyle that most taxpayers can’t afford for themselves,” said Ramaglia 

Ann Marie Pusterla, A GOP-Strong Co-chair from Wayne, said with DiVincenzo having the courage to speak out on arbitration,  Republicans should be emboldened to do likewise. 

“The pandering to public employee union leaders has to stop,” she said.

“The fact that arbitrators are still handing unions double digit percentage wage increases at a time when  taxpayers are losing jobs and homes is unconscionable,” she said.