On Monday, Feb. 22, the New Jersey Senate passed several bills addressing the nearly $35 billion hole in the state pension. With benefit cuts, exclusion of part-time workers from the pension and an increase in health care costs for teachers, once again New Jersey’s public employees are being asked to shoulder the burden of a crisis they did not cause.

Looking for contact information of New Jersey elected officials?
Governor Chris Christie: Phone: 609-292-6000. For email, go HERE.
State Senators and Assemblypersons: To find names and contact information by municipality, go HERE

These bills, now headed for the New Jersey State Assembly, are only the latest in billions of dollars of drastic cuts adversely affecting public employees in New Jersey. Those include:

• $560 million cut from schools
• $100 million cut from employee pension-plan contributions
• 25% Increases in charges for state employee health care (non-union so far)
• $50 million from job creation incentives
• $32.7 million from New Jersey Transit
• $12.6 million cut from hospital charity care

This is only the beginning. Governor Christie will be presenting his 2011 budget on March 16, for which he as promised even more drastic cuts. There is every reason to expect public employees will continue to shoulder an even greater burden going forward.

While all taxpayers are interested in fiscal responsibility, the speed with which these cuts are being rushed forward is irresponsible and dangerous. It has been impossible for the state legislature – or the public — to appreciate the impact of these cuts to the families of public employees. Nor have they had time to understand the already extensive concessions and contract settlements already made by public employees during this crisis.

JNESO will be making sure the Senate and Assembly hear about the sacrifices of our members.

But we urgently need your help:

• Call or Write to the Governor and Your State Legislators:
  Tell them to take the time to carefully review the impact of these cuts. Explain the important work you do, and the contractual concessions you’ve already made.
  • Governor Chris Christie: Phone: 609-292-6000. For email, go HERE.
  • State Senators and Assemblypersons: To find names and contact information by municipality, go HERE
• Wear Your Unity Pin:
  We’ll be handing out pins over the next few days. Wear them every day to show that we will stand together for  fair treatment.
• Stay Informed:
  Come back to this site for updates, or call the JNESO hotline (800) 281-4293 #3 to keep up with what you can do, and to separate news from rumors.

All public employees would benefit from true pension reform, which would safeguard all our financial futures. The Governor and all state Legislators must take the time needed to understand that reform will not be achieved by unfairly targeting hardworking public employees.