file photo by Boyd Loving
Christie vetoes bill that would have loosened limits on police, firefighter raises
Governor Christie vetoed a bill that would have loosened limits on how much local police and firefighters can be given in annual raises Thursday, setting up a yet to be scheduled final vote in the Assembly.
In 2010, a 2 percent limit on tax levy increases was passed. Beginning in 2011, local police and fire unions were also limited to 2 percent raises when they entered into the state’s binding arbitration process – a mechanism that occurs when the union and towns can not agree on a contract. This limit was put in place so government services wouldn’t have to be cut for towns to comply with the 2 percent tax cap.
The current arbitration limit will expire on April 1 and the legislature has been scrambling to extend it in some form – Republicans want a permanent hard cap while Democrats proposed a bill with some exceptions.
Today, both the Assembly and Senate approved the Democrats’ plan before it was conditionally vetoed by Governor Christie. This plan would have increased raises to 3 percent if the union had provided the town with savings on items like health benefits. In addition, it would have allowed unions who were subject to the 2 percent cap since 2011 to be immune from the new law’s limitations – Republicans argue this would have defanged the central point of the legislation. (Phillis/The Record)
Ridgewood PD asking for a 7% budget increase this year despite 7 senior officers retiring (+$840K savings)….
Our public safety unions got 4% annual raises in 2009, one year before this 2% cap was enacted. Wonder if they’ll agree to zero in the new CBAs to even it out and give something back to taxpayers ?
I think the public safety unions should get a 5 yr deal @3.5% per annum just to help offset increased health care contribution and they’ll deserve it because they’re doing more work with less employees. Their pensions have been cut , their pension contributions have increased, to go along with increased health care contributions. The villages money problems were not caused by it’s employees, it squandered away years of pension payment holiday, chose not to pay down long term debt, and choose to spend 9 million dollars on a rebuild of village hall that was originally slated for 2.3 million. Stop trying to solve the villages financial issues on the backs of your employees. They are not the problem.
I think they should get < 2% increases within the cap given inflation is running at 1.7%, pay a % of their drug and doctors visit co-pays instead opt fixed $15 and $5 co-pays, and contribute 15% to their pensions in addition to equivalent private sector amounts for full family health coverage. When the median wage is almost as high as the median household income in Ridgewood, they should contribute much more. We have a low crime rate ion Ridgewood, it's not like they're serving in Newark or Paterson.
#3, why 3.5% when inflation is < 2% ? They should be making larger health care and pension contributions given they haven't been contributing enough in the current and previous CBAs compared to private sector workers.
Looks like the House just threw NJ taxpayers under the bus for now…