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Pressure is mounting for Trenton to reform public employee payouts

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Pressure is mounting for Trenton to reform public employee payouts

APRIL 6, 2014, 10:35 PM    LAST UPDATED: SUNDAY, APRIL 6, 2014, 11:33 PM
BY LINH TAT
STAFF WRITER
THE RECORD

It’s a practice that’s unheard of these days in the private sector — carrying over days, weeks, even months of unused leave time and collecting a hefty check at retirement. Yet it’s common for public employees, who continue to cash in at taxpayers’ expense.By the numbers

Municipalities with the highest |
payout liabilities of unused sick |
and vacation time:

Bergen County

Hackensack         $18,875,368

Fort Lee              $7,922,232

Ridgewood          $6,492,123

Englewood           $5,656,052

Teaneck              $4,077,603

Passaic County

Clifton                 $14,788,633

Paterson             $12,756,523

Passaic               $5,387,942

Wayne                $1,564,929

Bloomingdale        $748,587

Source: New Jersey Department of Community
Affairs 2011 data

A series of six-figure payouts that have forced towns to borrow millions of dollars have placed a renewed focus on the perk afforded to public workers for decades.

As the cases have mounted, the Legislature has yet to strike a deal for statewide reform. It’s a tug of war between those who want to scrap the benefit entirely and others who want to preserve it for existing longtime workers. Somewhere in the middle are town officials who are left to make up their own rules and negotiate with unions, while struggling to keep property taxes in line.

A 2 percent cap on property tax levy increases has put the pressure on towns to stop the payouts. At the same time, a loophole allows them to borrow the money — a quick fix that will pile on years of debt for taxpayers.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/pressure-is-mounting-for-trenton-to-reform-public-employee-payouts-1.842745#sthash.RqmhR4q9.dpuf