Tag: PFRS Pensions

Donnelly: Christie didn’t live up to his end of the deal

Posted on By Clifton FMBA 21

Ed Donnelly, president of the New Jersey Fireman’s Mutual Benevolent Association (NJFMBA), reacted this afternoon to this morning’s ruling by the New Jersey Supreme Court on the pension suit brought against Gov. Chris Christie.

One of the plaintiffs in the case, Donnelly bitterly absorbed the news.

“We share in the disappointment over the Supreme Court’s ruling, and are even more disappointed that we have to continue having this fight with Governor after Governor to get them to do what’s right,” said Donnelly. “Our members take their jobs knowing the dangers they are going to face, and time after time they rise to the occasion, putting their lives on the line to save others. In return, all that we ask is that the sacred vow we made with our employers, that after years of risking our lives and facing unspeakable tragedy, we have healthy and secure retirements, be kept.

“This Supreme Court ruling is another obstacle on the way to finding a path forward towards guaranteeing the health of the of the New Jersey public pension system as a whole,” the firefighter added. “What has worked for the PFRS, the portion of the pension system our members are enrolled in, can work across the entire system, but only if those obligated to make their contributions do so. History will show what many of us already know, Governor Christie has done nothing to preserve the New Jersey pension system. In fact, he continues to put the pensions of tens of thousands of loyal firefighters, police officers, teachers and others at risk.  His calls of coming to the table for meaningful dialogue ring empty, for despite our requests there has never been dialogue, only a steady stream of misguided attacks on men and women like those of the FMBA risking their lives to keep New Jersey safe.

“Governor Christie has failed to live up to his end of his deal, and our members, as well as the State of New Jersey, are suffering. We’d ask the Governor for a commitment to do his part, but we know that he is incapable of keeping his word. He has built his legacy on lies and broken promises, something you can be sure our members, and those that care about integrity not just in New Jersey, but across the US, will stand up and take notice of.”

Source:

http://politickernj.com/2015/06/donnelly-christie-didnt-live-up-to-his-end-of-the-deal/

The FACTS about PFRS!

Posted on By Clifton FMBA 21
FFSS

Governor Christie continues his misguided practices and attempts to push further reform on the men and woman on the front lines of defense for NJ.  He recently issued an Executive order and added another Trenton commission to provide a detailed study and recommendations on pensions.  NJ currently has individual boards and an investment council for every pension system.  Governor Christie, again, neglects the interests of NJ and continues to add bureaucratic red tape and waste taxpayer monies.  Here are some facts he doesn’t want you to know about the Police and Fire retirement system:
1.  The Police and Fire pension system is sustainable, healthy, and our members contribute the most of all the systems.
2.  We don’t need more actuarial studies, we need the monies being put in the fund to stay in the fund.  Actuaries have been manipulated over the years and standard practices have been argued and challenged time and time again.  I can put a panel of experts together and come up with a different plan for the system.
3.  The 2011 pension reform raised our contributions from 8.5% of salary to 10% of salary.    Those added funds by Firefighters and Police equated to over 50 million dollars.  Those monies were removed from the pension system by the Christie administration.  That is criminal!  We have lobbied the legislature to close this loophole, the bill (A 3310) which was passed with bi-partisan support in the Assembly and Senate sits in Governor Christie’s “pay no mind stack of papers” on his desk.
4.  Governor Christie refuses to meet with the men and woman who rely or will rely on this system.  It is in our best interest, not only as pensioners but as taxpayers, to preserve this system.
5.  Most municipalities do not contribute to Social Security on behalf of Firefighters and Police officers.  That was a standard implemented decades ago, which is a huge savings to taxpayers and a huge loss of a benefit to Firefighters and Police Officers.
6.  Governor Christie was the one who traveled across the country promoting and publicizing his landmark pension reform.  His reform failed and will continue to fail if you allow it to be underfunded and raided.  We lived up to our end of his deal, he has not.  He talks about “no pain no gain” our members have endured the pain and continue to.

While Governor Christie continues to make hollywood videos and travels around the country promoting his national agenda, NJ firefighters continue to stand tall and always ready to respond for our residents in need.

NJ IS STRONGER THAN CHRIS CHRISTIE

Eddie Donnelly
NJFMBA