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Democrat will total $222,069 a year

Gov. Chris Christie Monday said Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo Jr. is wrong to collect a salary and pension simultaneously.

"I made this really clear,” Christie told The Star-Ledger. “I think it's wrong. And it's not just for him. It's wrong for all the other people who are doing it."

DiVincenzo, a Democrat, is an ally of the Republican governor and has joined him in advocating cutbacks to public employee pension benefits.

"Whether someone is an ally or an enemy, I tell people what I think," Christie said. "And I told him what I thought when I found out about it."

Christie is supporting legislation that would close the loophole but Democrats who control the Legislature have not acted on the two proposals.

"I don't understand how you can retire from the job and stay in the job," he said. "Only in New Jersey."

DiVincenzo will collect $222,069 annually by collecting a public paycheck and pension that stems from his position as county executive and past public jobs as a parks supervisor and school athletics director.

DiVincenzo is not alone. Union County Sheriff Ralph Froehlich began collecting his pension in 1999, and Cape May County Surrogate W. Robert Hentges has been collecting his pension since 1998.

Joining them is Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen) who makes $49,000 annually as a legislator and collects a $36,000 a year public pension. Weinberg told The Star-Ledger that she started collecting her pension after losing her savings in Bernie Madoff's ponzi scheme.

Meanwhile, Sen. Steve Oroho (R- Sussex) called on the Senate Democratic leadership to move the bills (S-346 and S-1875) that would end double dipping by elected officials.

"There are few more egregious examples of self dealing than an elected official retiring from the public pension system while continuing to hold, and be compensated for serving in, elected office," Oroho said. "The law as it currently stands invites public officials, some of whom collect six figure salaries for their service, to game the system and collect two public checks at the same time.

“Public service should be about getting something accomplished for the people you serve, not taking as much from the public treasury as you can,” Oroho said. “The time has come for the Senate to act on repealing this provision in the law, and I call on the Senate president (Stephen M. Sweeney, D-Gloucester) to post these bills for consideration by the Budget Committee and the full Senate before we adjourn for the summer."

S-346 and S-1875 apply to elected officials currently enrolled in either the Police and Fireman's Retirement System and Public Employee Retirement System. Both bills are awaiting consideration by the Senate Budget Committee.

State law allows elected officials in the public employee and police pension systems to "retire" but keep working.

DiVincenzo has shaken off criticism for taking a paycheck and pension and said he intends to seek a fourth term as county executive. “I had to make a decision that was in the best interests of my family," he said Friday.

— TOM HESTER SR., NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM