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Trenton NJ, Statements from Senate Republican Budget Members on Democrats’ $10 Billion Borrowing Scheme
The Republican members of the Senate Budget & Appropriations Committee issued the following statements in response to a private, partisan agreement between Governor Phil Murphy and Democrat legislative leaders to borrow $10 billion to fund State spending next year.
file photo by Boyd Loving
JOHN REITMEYER | OCTOBER 4, 2016
Christie’s executive order idled some 3,000 construction workers during the warm weather. Can it be lifted in time to make a dent in outstanding projects?
With the political impasse over transportation funding that has gripped Trenton for the past three months now settled, New Jersey lawmakers are scheduled to vote tomorrow on the legislation that will hike the state’s gas tax by 23 cents. The proposed increase already has Gov. Chris Christie’s endorsement and is expected to pass with bipartisan support.
But still uncertain is exactly when Christie will be willing to lift a hold on state-funded road, bridge, and rail projects that’s been in effect since July and how much that shutdown, which sidelined an estimated 3,000 construction workers, has impacted New Jersey’s economy and its residents. In some places, local officials simply ignored the construction freeze since the state money had already been promised, but others were concerned about possible fines and are now anxious to see the road crews return to work.
Christie, a Republican, announced on Friday that he is ready to sign off on the gas-tax increase needed to renew the state Transportation Trust Fund since Democrats who control the Legislature say they will authorize more than $1 billion in new tax cuts. If approved and signed into law this week, the gas tax increase isn’t expected to go into effect immediately, but officials say it would likely be in place by the beginning of November at the latest.
Still, the construction freeze remains in effect and Christie’s office offered no clear idea yesterday of when it will be rescinded.
By Eric Katz
August 12, 2016
Half of American voters think labor unions have an outsized role in the country’s politics, a new poll has found.
Additionally, according to a new survey from Rasmussen Reports, 57 percent of respondents say union leaders are out of touch with their members. Just one in five Americans believe labor executives do a good job representing union members.
The same rate of of respondents who are now or have ever been union members said union leaders are out of touch and the groups have too much political clout. One in three current or former union members say unions do not have enough influence, compared to one in four among the general population and just one in five among non-union members.
Democrats are, unsurprisingly, much more sympathetic to unions and their leaders. Just one-third of the more labor-friendly party think the groups have too much influence, while nearly 70 percent of Republicans say the same.
By Matt Arco | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on August 09, 2016 at 7:30 AM, updated August 09, 2016 at 7:56 AM
TRENTON — With a ballot question asking voters to constitutionally guarantee state payments into the public worker pension fund dead on arrival this year, the head of the state’s largest teachers’ union suggested that Senate PresidentStephen Sweeney’s likely 2017 gubernatorial campaign will meet the same fate.
Wendell Steinhauer, president of the New Jersey Education Association, stopped short on Monday of calling Sweeney’s refusal to post the measure for a vote ahead of a Monday’s deadline to get it on the ballot this year a deal breaker.
But he was also clear about the NJEA’s priorities — more specifically, its top agenda item.
“Our No. 1 priority has been passing this constitutional amendment,” Wendell said.
“I’m telling you that we will certainly send out a questionnaire to all of the candidates and we will screen all of them,” he said. “But we are definitely going to get involved in the primaries this year.”
The NJEA, FOP and other public-sector labor unions are attempting to influence the legislative process with campaign donations? Wow, there’s a surprise. Union thugs have destroyed NJ’s economy and made property taxes so unreasonable that the state suffers from net migration out and an economy that lags the recovery in surrounding states. The unions and their paid-for cheerleaders in Trenton are 100% to blame, they are driven by shameless greed.
A ballot question to mandate more funding for New Jersey’s troubled pension system – costing an estimated $25 billion over five years – is all but dead this year, Senate President Stephen Sweeney said Thursday. Salvador Rizzo, The Record Read more
Following a rash of sudden disappearances from Thursday’s Assembly session and Speaker Vince Prieto’s decision not to post his competing Atlantic City takeover bill, Senate President and takeover sponsor Steve Sweeney was noticeably agitated after five hours of delay and closed-door caucus meetings. Sweeney reiterated his call for the Speaker to post the version of the takeover bill passed in the Senate. With an anticipated 39 votes out of the 41 needed to pass his bill, Prieto decided to fight another day earlier that afternoo JT Aregood, PolitickerNJ Read more
Increased spending on issues such as education, public worker pensions, transportation, and hospitals drove lobbying expenditures in New Jersey in 2015 to $70 million, the second highest total ever, according to an analysis of annual lobbying reports released today by the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC). Jeff Brindle, PolitickerNJ Read more
By Samantha Marcus | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on January 07, 2016 at 7:31 PM, updated January 08, 2016 at 8:19 AM
TRENTON — State Senate President Stephen Sweeney and labor leaders on Thursday defended his proposal to constitutionally enforce payments into the public pension system against arguments it’s a gift to special interests that will shackle New Jersey’s finances.
The scrap between Sweeney (D-Gloucester) and labor leaders vs. Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean Jr. (R-Union) and business lobbyists centered on what would be worse: a mandated pension contribution that would eat up so much money the state couldn’t respond to fiscal emergencies, or a pension system that continues hurtling toward insolvency.
Sweeney, the Democrat leading the charge on the amendment, told the Senate state government committee it’s in everyone’s interest to pay the bill now. Should a pension fund run out of money, the state would have to pay retirees’ pension benefits out of pocket, he said.
“If we don’t do this, by 2026 or 2027, when the pensions go broke, it’s nine or ten billion dollars. And that’s coming out of the budget. Directly out of the budget,” Sweeney said. “That’s armageddon.”
N.J. Democrats to address four proposed amendments to state constitution
DECEMBER 15, 2015, 10:56 PM LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2015, 10:56 PM
BY DUSTIN RACIOPPI
STATE HOUSE BUREAU |
THE RECORD
As Governor Christie prepares for a four-day bus tour of New Hampshire to bolster his presidential campaign, Democrats in New Jersey will set in motion a plan to circumvent Christie’s executive authority by pushing for changes to the state constitution that would dedicate funding for transportation and pensions, allow casinos in North Jersey, and amend how legislative districts are drawn.
On Thursday, Democrats — who control the state Legislature — also plan to vote on three separate measures to override Christie vetoes. And that’s in addition to more than 100 bills scheduled for votes as the legislative session heads into its final weeks. Whatever bills aren’t addressed by the end of the session would have to be reintroduced next year.
Adding to the customary frenzy of the lame-duck session are the potential implications that some of the legislative actions could have on Christie’s White House bid and on the next gubernatorial election, in 2017.
Lame-duck sessions are “usually pretty busy with little things that people want to get done,” Loretta Weinberg, the Senate majority leader, said. “This is major stuff.”
The four proposed constitutional amendments would bring wide changes to the state: allowing up to two casinos in North Jersey; requiring the state to make quarterly payments into the public employee pension fund; dedicating all gas tax proceeds to the nearly-broke Transportation Trust Fund; and adjusting the legislative redistricting process. Changes to the state constitution must be approved by New Jersey residents. The votes scheduled for legislative committees Thursday would begin the process of getting those proposals on the 2016 ballot.
Although Christie has been supportive of the idea of expanding gambling outside Atlantic City and putting it to voters to decide, he has called amending the constitution for measures that don’t require it “governance by temper tantrum.” He was especially critical last week of Senate President Stephen Sweeney’s proposal to require quarterly pension payments, calling it a guaranteed tax increase to New Jersey residents and businesses.
Sweeney, D-Gloucester, joined with Christie, a Republican, in 2010 and 2011 to reform the public employees’ pension and health benefits system, including requiring the state to make increased contributions into the pension fund over seven years. After three budgets of Christie’s that reduced those payments, and a state Supreme Court decision telling lawmakers and the governor to find a solution, Sweeney has proposed making the payments a constitutional requirement.
Christie accused Democrats of catering to unions and said during his radio show last week that Sweeney’s proposal is “totally about playing politics” since Sweeney is expected to run for governor in 2017. Any Democratic gubernatorial candidate is likely to seek the support of unions, who have strong influence in the state and spend heavily in state elections.
Senate President Steve Sweeney just proposed a Constitutional amendment that would give public workers unions all they want on pensions, and ask nothing in return. Star-Ledger Editorial Board, The Star-Ledger Read more
Sweeney pushes forcing bigger N.J. pension payments by changing constitution
State Sen. President Stephen Sweeney introduced legislation Monday that would cement state officials’ promises to fund government workers’ pensions in the New Jersey constitution. Samantha Marcus, NJ.com Read more
Trenton’s Broken Record
Jun. 19
By Joe Sinagra | The Save Jersey Blog
“This plan is not only a matter of fairness and responsibility with pension payments, it is really about the full range of government services and opportunities, including such things as property tax relief, college affordability, public schools, law enforcement, transportation and many more priority needs,” NJ Senate President Steve Sweeney said on Wednesday as he rolled out his counter-proposal to Governor Chris Christie’s budget. “We have to maintain the state’s commitment to all New Jersey residents by meeting all of our commitments. This is a fair and responsible plan that will help meet those needs as it restores balance to the budget in a fiscally responsible way.”
So in all the years and administrations prior to Christie being governor, the 154 tax increases, raising the state sales tax from 6% to 7%, a 4% corporate tax surcharge, a 25% increase in liquor taxes, increased taxes for the citizens of New Jersey by over $10 billion dollars, an increase in the Realty Transfer Tax of $62 million on the state level, another $22 million on the county level, along with another $8 million tax on the lottery. . . Senator Sweeney now suddenly believes we need a fair and responsible plan?
What happened to all of the revenue that was already collected?
Even the promised tax rebate disappeared. On average, property taxes went up 55 percent statewide from the prior seven years before Corzine and another 20 percent when Corzine took office, and Corzine left us a $2.2 billion shortfall that existed when Christie took office on Jan. 19, 2010.
And Senator Sweeney decides now is the time to meet the commitments of the residents? Why is it that more is never enough in this state?
– See more at: https://savejersey.com/2014/06/new-jersey-budget-sweeney/#sthash.VrJfTZ1d.dpuf
Xanadu remains a monument to greedy stupidity
No Casinos for Bergen for Now
Sweeney says Atlantic City should keep Casino monopoly for now
State Senate President Stephen Sweeney has ruled out a casino in the Meadowlands for now,The Record reports.
Speaking in Atlantic City today, the powerful South Jersey Democrat said suggestions by other legislators that the time was right to start looking into the feasibility of a casino anywhere other than Atlantic City was harmful to that city’s ability to attract investors, the newspaper reported.
“Listen, as long as I’m alive and I’m the Senate president, we’re not moving [such bills],” the paper quoted Sweeney (D-Gloucester) as saying. “I made a deal, and my word is good. We’ll talk about it after the five years. That’s when we would start having a discussion” about whether casino gambling can take place elsewhere than in Atlantic City.
Sweeney was among several elected officials at a news conference during which they voiced strong support to New Jersey’s ’s bid to overturn a federal law that has allowed just casinos in Nevada to accept bets on sporting events. (Khavkine/Star-Ledger)
