Who is minding the Asylum!

The question is the governor will act on his tough talk and really impose 7, 000 layoffs on state workers during an election year, or will he cave in again and come back with an even more generous counteroffer as the budget deadline of June 30 looms. The Legislature is running out of time, and the Constitution won't let us approve a budget that is $300 million out of balance, Senator Oroho points out.

Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean asked why Governor Corzine has not released cost estimates of the concessions he agreed to before a campaign rally with Vice President Joseph Biden. According to a letter written by state union leaders to all their members, the concessions included putting hundreds of temporary workers into permanent positions at an unspecified cost to taxpayers. Kean called on the governor to live up to his promises of transparency and accountability, and release the Treasurer's best estimates of how many workers will become permanent and how much this policy change will cost taxpayers.

SWEENEY STATEMENT ON AGREEMENT ON WAGE FREEZE AND FURLOUGHS

Senate Majority Leaders Applauds Corzine Administration for Saving Taxpayers Money, Negotiating Give-Backs

TRENTON – Senate Majority Leader Steve Sweeney, D-Gloucester, Cumberland and Salem, issued the following statement today on Governor Corzine’s announced agreement with the Communications Workers of America (CWA) for wage freezes and 10 unpaid furlough days in the fiscal year beginning July 1:

“This agreement is good news for the State of New Jersey at a time when we can use all the good news we can get. Our economy is suffering due to the national recession, our State revenues are lagging behind even the most conservative estimates put forth earlier in the year, and our unemployment figures are through the roof. In a few weeks, I and my colleagues in the State Legislature are going to have to advance a balanced “Doomsday Budget” for FY 2010 that slashes State spending to the bone.

“It’s about time something went right for the taxpayers of our beleaguered State.

It's one thing to make concessions to public employee unions to win long-term benefits for New Jersey. It's quite another to do so to avoid one day of bad publicity for the governor. Taxpayers should be told today how much it cost them to get Joe Biden to speak at Governor Corzine's political rally.

TRENTON – Senator Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen) said today’s adoption of an emergency rule by the Civil Service Commission to give state and local governments the ability to mandate furloughs for employees is further evidence that part-time members of boards and commissions should also waive a portion of their salary and benefits.

Weinberg is the author of a Senate Resolution urging board and commission members who work fewer than 25 hours per week to forgo their pay or per diem for three months as part of an effort to help close a gap in the state budget. The resolution (SR-114) also calls on them to reimburse the boards, commissions, and authorities for three months’ worth of pension contributions paid by the public entity into a state-run retirement system.

TRENTON – Senate Majority Leader Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester, Cumberland and Salem) issued the following statement following today’s adoption of emergency rules by the Civil Service Commission giving state and local governments the ability to impose mandatory furloughs:

“Today’s action by the Civil Service Commission will give state and local leaders the flexibility they need to maneuver through the worst financial crisis in recent memory. The commission’s finding today that an emergency exists allows us to immediately move forward with plans for temporary furloughs in the current budget and in the budget that will take effect July 1.

Assisting struggling constituents is a priority,even if it means working without pay

Senator O'Toole calls on legislators to lead by example and give back the equivalent of two or more days of their salaries if Governor Corzine's plan for furloughing state workers is approved.