Wednesday, January 12, 2011

NJ Governor - "Sick leave is for when you're sick- It's not supposed to be a second taxpayer-funded retirement payment."


Our man in New Jersey strikes again at the rigged systems that reward the feckless hacks that are on the state employment rolls - Limiting how they can rig the system in their favor and cutting the WASTE that has been allowed for far too long....

NOW, if we can only get someone like him into the Massachusetts State House....we tried but POTUS' Buddy SPEND-IT-ALL Deval Patrick got reelected by the DEMS and Unions....The economic crisis might force Deval's hand but he is a "tool" for the unions so we will keep paying idiot hacks in Massachusetts, even when they don't deserve the extra pay they will help themselves to.....Greedy Bastards.


NJ gov. signs law capping pay through arbitration
By David Porter
Associated Press / December 21, 2010

WAYNE, N.J.—Gov. Chris Christie signed a bill Tuesday that caps increases to police and firefighter pay awarded through arbitration, a measure he called the most important of the proposals in his so-called toolkit to help towns control costs.

Tweet Be the first to Tweet this!Yahoo! Buzz ShareThis With Democratic Senate President Stephen Sweeney looking on, Christie hailed the passage of the bill as a testament to bipartisan cooperation.

"We've proven over the last year that Republicans and Democrats can get things done together," he said. "Mayors have been yelling and screaming for these kinds of reforms for years."

The bill caps salary awards, including longevity pay and automatic step increases, for police and firefighters at 2 percent when their unions engage arbitrators to settle contracts.

It also fast-tracks the arbitration process by giving arbitrators a 45-day window to rule on disputes and limiting the appeal process to 30 days. In addition, arbitrators' pay will be capped at $1,000 per day or $7,500 per case, whichever sum is lower.

Christie said Tuesday that some cases in arbitration have dragged on for years, and that fear of excessive arbitration awards has hampered some towns' ability to conduct effective contract negotiations.

"Arbitration works when it's balanced," said Sweeney, who is an organizer for the International Association of Ironworkers. "But the system has gotten out of whack over the last 20 years."

Pension and health care costs are not included in the cap. Christie said the cap will lapse in April 2014, at which time lawmakers will review its effects and consider modifications.

"This is the most significant individual bill in the toolkit," Christie said.

Municipalities have been clamoring for tools to help them control costs since the Legislature approved -- and Christie signed -- a 2 percent cap on annual property tax increases that goes into effect Jan. 1.

Christie said residents could see a difference in their tax bills by August, but that the effect likely won't be seen until the end of 2011 or beginning of 2012.

"It's one of the major issues we're dealing with," Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer said after the signing. "This gives us the tools going forward to make sure it's fair for the residents of the city of Hoboken and of New Jersey."

The governor said another primary target is sick leave policies for public employees, some of whom routinely get tens of thousands of dollars in unused sick time when they retire. Christie noted a case in Parsippany in which four police officers reportedly were due a total of $900,000 upon retirement.

Christie signed a bill this year that limits state employees to receiving $15,000, and he said Tuesday a similar measure in the Legislature for school, government and public safety workers needs to be toughened.

"Sick leave is for when you're sick," he said. "It's not supposed to be a second taxpayer-funded retirement payment."


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