The Assembly Appropriations Chairwoman Thursday will consider a bipartisan package of six bills sponsors say will provide public employee pension and benefit reform.
The hearing will come two days after Gov. Chris Christie introduces a $29.2 billion 2010-11 that includes a plan to skip the administration's $3 billion contribution to the pension systems that serve state and local government employees and educators. The system is underfunded by $46 billion and at risk of becoming insolvent unless changes are made.
"Our pension and benefits system, is unsustainable for taxpayers and public workers alike," said Assemblywoman Nellie Pou (D-Passaic), the Appropriations Committee chairwoman. "Everyone needs to recognize the enormous unfunded liabilities in the public employee benefits system and the burden carried by taxpayers.
"No matter what your point of view, the time for blame and finger pointing is long past. But what everyone can do is work together to ensure we make bipartisan changes that are fair to both taxpayers who fund the system and public workers who rely on it."
A former state Motor Vehicle Commission clerk from Gloucester County pleaded guilty Monday for her role in a scheme to issue a driver's license with a false birth date so the license holder would appe...
A Mercer County man has been indicted for allegedly collecting more than $39,000 by submitting fraudulent disability insurance claims.
