President Tony Wieners’ Message
Clock ticking on pension/benefit changes – contact your legislator now!!
Both media reports and our numerous meetings in Trenton with legislative leadership and the Front Office indicate that talks are growing more aggressive to finalize some form of pension and/or health benefit change bill before the end of June. As you are aware, the proposals include mandating up to 30% premium contributions for all employees, including future retirees with less than 25 years of service. There also are competing pension reform bills that eliminate COLA, require members to work more years for less benefits and to dramatically cut disability pensions. While the State PBA is engaged with all sides to provide alternatives to protect PFRS and the collective bargaining process, it is the Legislature that will decide whether to incorporate our suggestions or pass laws that weakens collective bargaining and our pensions which we have paid our fair share to earn. I am therefore urging all of our members to call their legislators, the Governor, Speaker and Senate President ASAP and ask them not to cut PFRS benefits and to work with the State PBA on their offer of millions of dollars in real reforms that don’t hurt PFRS members. In addition, tell them that health benefits is a matter for local collective bargaining and not for the Legislature to mandate. If you have called your legislator already then please do so again. If you haven’t picked up the phone or sent an e-mail, then time is running out!
lets keep the energy going from the rally by calling the Governor and Legislature and letting them know how we feel. Legislators track the number of calls they receive on issues and they will take note of calls from law enforcement officers. However, if they don't hear from individual PBA members now they will be left to assume that there are no problems with cutting PFRS pensions and benefits.
Above all else, law enforcement officers are taxpayers who have a right to express their concerns about being demonized by the media and some politicians. Call the Governor and your Legislators today and tell them how you feel about the attacks against you. Let them know how you feel now before it's too late!
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Cutting PFRS Benefits is not only likely illegal but an insult to law enforcement and firefighters who have always paid their pension contributions and who face risks far greater than any other public employee.
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Ask them to oppose cuts to PFRS benefits that would reduce line of duty accidental pension benefits. Under the Governor's plan, an officer who is seriously wounded would only receive a 40% work related disability and would be restricted in working while disabled.
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Ask them to oppose the Governor's plan to force police to stay on the job longer to earn lesser benefits than promised.
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Tell them that you pay 8 .5% toward your pension and that it was the government, not you, who underfunded the pension system.
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Suggest they review the 2010 PFRS actuary report that blames bad investments and a lack of government contributions, not PFRS members, for losses in the pension fund.
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Remind them it was the Legislature that allowed towns to skip their pension contributions which has led to the system's unfunded liability and that we shouldn't be punished because of the misdeeds of the government.
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All the State's pension systems ARE NOT the same in contributions, benefits, funding levels or funded ratio's – PFRS is better funded and most local government employers have been making their contributions
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PFRS members pay the highest pension contribution in the State (8.5%)
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PFRS WAS NOT included in the 9% pension boost mentioned in pension reform proposals
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PFRS would be funded at roughly 84% if government made its payments since 2000
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The PBA and FMBA SUPPORT reforms to disability and post employment benefits
DON'T WAIT!
TAKE ACTION TODAY...
Go to http://www.njleg.state.nj.us to find your legislator's contact information
NJ State PBA News Update
The Voice of New Jersey Law Enforcement
Legislative Republicans to propose Pension cut bill
The Republican leadership in the Senate and Assembly will introduce legislation as early as today to dramatically cut PFRS pension benefits according to Governor Christie's pension reduction plan. The bill will propose a variety of changes to each State pension fund and will make the following reductions in PFRS benefits:
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Reduce retirement benefits at 25 years to 60% of highest 3 years and to 65% of highest 3 years at 30 years for anyone with less than 25 years of service.
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Eliminates accidental disabilities and replaces it with workers compensation for any work related disability at 40%.
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Applies an earnings test for those who retire on a disability pension by prohibiting such retirees from earning more than the difference between their disability pension and what they "would have earned" if they remained a police officer.
This proposal stands in contrast to the concept proposed by Senate President Sweeney that would make PFRS independent of the other State pension funds and allow PFRS Trustees to invest fund assets and control the contribution rates needed to fund the system. The Sweeney bill is a proposal that the State PBA has supported for years and we will be analyzing it when a draft becomes official. Senator Sweeney has also stated no pension bill will move until the Governor commits to making a pension contribution this year. The Governor should make a decision one way or the other when he gives his Budget Message this month.
The State PBA will strenuously oppose the reductions in the Governor's proposals. PFRS is not broken and merely requires that all contributions be made and accompanied with smart investments. Reductions of this dramatic nature are a direct contradiction to the Governor's campaign pledge to never cut PFRS benefits. The Governor needs to keep his promise while providing PFRS members with a pension fund that is independent and permitted to control the funds set aside for law enforcement officers. State PBA members should accept nothing less.
