Nicholas Scutari

BENEFITS REFORM PANEL TO TAKE TESTIMONY FROM PRINCIPAL AUTHOR OF MURPHY REPORT WEDNESDAY

(TRENTON) - The Joint Legislative Committee on Public Employee Benefits Reform will take testimony from Philip D. Murphy, Chairman of the Governor's Benefits Review Task Force, on Wednesday.

BENEFITS REFORM PANEL TO HOLD PUBLIC COMMENT MEETING WEDNESDAY IN SEWELL

(SEWELL) - The Joint Legislative Committee on Public Employee Benefits Reform has selected Sewell as the site of the second meeting it will conduct for purposes of gathering public comment on pensions and health benefits provided to state, county, municipal, and school district employees.

REPUBLICAN MEMBERS CALL ON DEMOCRATS TO TAKE DIRECT ACTION ON STATE HEALTH BENEFITS PACKAGE REFORM

Senator William Gormley, (R-2), and Assemblyman Kevin OToole, (R-40), transmitted a letter to Governor Corzine and the Democrat Chairs of the Joint Legislative Committee on Public Employee Benefits Reform, Senator Nicholas Scutari and Assemblywoman Nellie Pou. The letter details several proposed reforms for the State Health Benefits Plan. A copy of the letter is attached.

SCUTARI SEES POTENTIAL REFORMS FOR THE CURRENT PENSION SYSTEM

TRENTON - Senator Nicholas P. Scutari, Co-Chair of the Joint Committee on Public Employee Benefits Reform, read the following opening remarks this morning at the panel's hearing on the public employee pension system.

"Good morning and welcome to today's meeting of the Joint Committee on Public Employee Benefits Reform. I look forward to today's discussion because I believe it will illuminate aspects of both defined contribution and defined benefit plans that are not readily apparent or understood. There is a tendency when talking about pension reform to envision only two possible outcomes: either we embrace the existing system, or we throw it out altogether in favor of something like a 401(k).

SCUTARI: 'THERE MUST BE SUBSTANTIAL SAVING THROUGH REFORMING OUR PENSION SYSTEM'

TRENTON - Senator Nicholas P. Scutari, Co-Chair of the Joint Committee on Public Employee Benefits Reform, issued the following statement today after the panel's hearing on the public employee pension system.

"There is a clear need to tighten employment requirements for participation in public retirement systems.

"Pension benefits should be reserved for career employees. The current $1,500 a year threshold is outdated and serves to undermine the system's legitimate purpose of attracting and retaining skilled public workers.

SCUTARI SAYS WHOLESALE CHANGES IN PUBLIC WORKER BENEFITS NEEDED

TRENTON - Senator Nicholas P. Scutari, Co-Chair of the Joint Committee on Public Employee Benefits Reform, today said significant changes in public worker benefits "moving forward" are needed to provide meaningful taxpayer savings.

Officials from the nonpartisan Office of Legislative Services today told the joint panel that it would be illegal to change pension benefits for public workers who have accrued five years of service because of a 1997 State law enacted by the Legislature. In addition, the OLS officials suggested there could be serious legal problems effecting pension changes for workers with less than five years.

"Clearly, we should focus on making wholesale changes in benefits moving forward," said Senator Scutari, D-Union, Middlesex and Somerset. "A multi-tiered system of benefits would allow us to honor our contractual obligations to current workers and still deal fairly with future workers."

BENEFITS REFORM COMMITTEE CALLS ON GOVERNOR CORZINE TO EXPEDITE CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS

TRENTON - Senator Nicholas P. Scutari and Assemblywoman Nellie Pou, the co-chairs of the Joint Legislative Committee on Public Employee Benefits Reform, wrote to Governor Corzine on behalf of the entire panel today to ask that he expedite pending contract negotiations with State employee unions to allow the committee to consider New Jersey's contract obligations as they work to reduce the cost of State employee benefits in New Jersey.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE LETTER FROM SENATOR SCUTARI AND ASSEMBLYWOMAN POU TO GOVERNOR CORZINE ON CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS

SCUTARI STATEMENT ON FIRST MEETING OF BENEFITS REFORM COMMITTEE

TRENTON - Senator Nicholas Scutari, D-Middlesex, Somerset and Union and co-chair of the Joint Legislative Committee on Employee Benefits Reform made the following statement today following the Committee's first meeting:

"I'm going to be blunt with the public - our pensions and benefits system in New Jersey is broken. Costs are soaring out of control and our liabilities are skyrocketing. This committee is going to have to work hard and think creatively to rein in the system.

SCUTARI TO CO-CHAIR TAX REFORM PANEL ON PUBLIC WORKER BENEFITS

TRENTON - Senator Nicholas P. Scutari, D-Union, Middlesex and Somerset, made the following comments after being named co-chair of the Joint Committee on Public Benefits Reform by Senate President Richard J. Codey and Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts Jr.

"I look forward to the opportunity to address in substance the challenge of reforming our pension and benefits system. In doing so, we hope to reduce a skyrocketing liability that hampers all levels of governments' ability to plan prudently and eliminate the long-term mortgage on our future. We need a system that is fair both to hardworking public employees and to New Jersey taxpayers."

A bill sponsored by Senator Joe Kyrillos Jr., (R-13), that would require specific
information be placed on charity bins throughout the state was approved by the Senate today.