8/10/08 - NJ government losing institutional memory with early retirement buyout
Often times I'm a critic of state government. But that's only because right now I don't view it as efficient and effective. I think state government has gotten too bloated and less accountable to the taxpayers under Democrat control for the last eight years.
But I believe that our state government has a vital role to play in our society --- educating our young people, helping those who cannot help themselves, providing for parks and recreation.
Last June, the legislature approved a move initiated by Governor Jon Corzine to allow hundreds if not thousands of state government employees to retire early -- the Early Retirement Incentive Program (ERIP).
The stated benefit associated with ERIP is a reduction in state payroll costs. But those retirees will draw pension and health care benefits and continue to be a cost to the taxpayers --- even in retirement. In fact, the Commerce & Industry Association of New Jersey has found that while the ERIP will save taxpayers $457 million on payroll costs, it will increase unfunded pension liabilities by $517 million.
With the ERIP in full swing, its turning out that the number of people electing to participate was overestimated and the savings will not be as significant as the Governor's Office first estimated --- go figure.
But let's consider the real impact of ERIP.
A few weeks ago, I attended a seminar on the new Council on Affordable Housing regulations in New Brunswick and an attendee from COAH was in attendance. At one point this COAH rep was speaking of a computer system it has to ascertain affordable housing obligations for municipalities. Unfortunately, she said, the woman responsible for managing this software program was leaving under the early retirement program.
Then last week, longtime NJ Election Law Enforcement executive director Fred Hermann announced his retirement at the age of 61. He too is opting to get out of state government with the early retirement carrot dangled out there by the Governor and Legislature.
When Hermann announced his retirement, Speaker Joe Roberts (D-Camden) sent out a press release lamenting the news, noting: "Fred will be sorely missed by all of us who relied upon his detailed analysis and educated opinion."
But Mr. Speaker, your actions in adopting ERIP led to Hermann's retirement. You can blame yourself for this loss.
What we are and will continue to lose in state government with the early retirement program are many longtime, hard working, state government workers who have institutional memory. They have seen what works and what doesn't. They've learned how to get results in the difficult bureaucratic maze they work after years of experience.
With the Democrats' early retirement program, state government will lose the workers who have the smarts and they'll be replaced by "greener" employees who may not be up to the task.
That -- in my view -- will lead to less efficiency and effectiveness in state government. The short term financial jolt offered by an early retirement program (which doesn't appear to be going as planned), I fear, will lead to many more long term problems.
8/6/08 - Van Drew set to endorse speeding ticket tax today
As if it wasn't bad enough that Senator Jeff Van Drew just supported a 2.5% tax on all commercial development in New Jersey, wait until you get this.
Van Drew is going to promise today at 2:30 p.m. in Buena Vista Township to tax speeding tickets to pay for state police in rural communities. He wants to assess a $40 surcharge statewide to fix the problem.
A new tax to pay for something the State Police has had as its central purpose since its founding --- only in New Jersey.
If Van Drew had supported fiscally responsible budgets for the past several years instead of allowing for wasteful spending, maybe the state would have had enough money to fund the State Police patrols.
But instead, he's looking to impose yet another tax on the people to fix another problem. Man is it time for a change.
8/5/08 - Liberals fighting liberals over where big government goes
In this corner, affordable housing advocates who are fighting to have more low and moderate income homes built in virgin forests in suburbia.
And in this corner, Jeff Tittel from the Sierra Club fighting to protect the trees that would have to be removed for the low and moderate income homes (and be used to build them).
It's a battle of liberal versus liberal.
In the article linked above, Tittel expresses concern over the Highlands Act in north Jersey being undermined by new Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) housing unit projections, requiring homes to be built in that environmentally protected area.
How come Tittel never comes down to South Jersey to stand up for the growth townships in our region that have been repeatedly hit by the Pinelands Commisssion?
Sure, he stands up for the Highlands. But what about the impact these new COAH numbers will have on the environment in Egg Harbor, Galloway and Hamilton Townships?
Is the environment more precious for Tittel in northern Jersey than down here?
While I would hope Tittel would provide a little more equal time in the future, he's right that the state's goal of protecting open space and Governor Jon Corzine's promise of 100,000 more new low/moderate income housing units don't exactly go hand in hand.
.....
The Press had it right today that the new affordable housing law is a disaster for business development in our state. The new 2.5% tax on all new commercial developments is a killer to the investors in our society who create the jobs people need to afford their mortgages.
This law is the most overreaching fiat our state has ever imposed.
But the Press editorial missed one very important fact that it should have mentioned so the voters can be informed about who is responsible for this affordable housing mess and the new 2.5% tax on business development that was adopted just two months ago.
It never mentioned that two supporters of the legislation and the business tax were our own Senators Jim Whelan and Jeff Van Drew.
For the record, both Assemblymen John Amodeo and Vince Polistina voted against the bill.
What could Whelan and Van Drew have been thinking by supporting a new tax on business development when our state is in the midst of an economic downturn?
8/4/08 - Risley takes opposition to Vote by Mail on the road
Former Freeholder and EHT Committeeman John Risley recently spoke to the Cape May County Board of Chosen Freeholders in opposition to the pending Vote by Mail bill.
The Atlantic County Republican Committee is opposed to this legislation as it will liberalize absentee ballot rules and open up the potential for increasing amounts of fraud and abuse.
Kudos to John Risley for continuing to fight this battle that he started many years ago.
Hopefully we'll start to get some politicians like Senator Jim Whelan --- who was once burned by absentee ballot abuse in a previous mayor race, but now appears to be going along with the crowd in Trenton by voting to support this legislation in committee --- to agree with us.
Call Senator Whelan today and tell him to oppose Vote by Mail --- (609) 383-1388.
7/31/08 - Jim McGettigan's desperation
Jim McGettigan is clearly desperate in his reelection effort.
He is saying and doing anything he can to try to appear to have a proactive record.
The problem is that McGettigan's 15 year record is completely bereft of any new ideas or innovative thinking.
The latest example of McGettigan's desperation is his photo op with the manufacturer of LoJack --- the technology which helps law enforcement recover stolen vehicles. McGettigan touted that several vehicles in the Sheriff's Office's fleet have been installed with the technology.
While this sounds like a great idea, Republican Sheriff candidate and Police Captain Frank Balles was quick to point out that LoJack has been available for 20 years and has been used as long in Pleasantville Police Department where Balles serves.
The real question is what has taken McGettigan so long to implement this techology?
This free techology has been available for the 15 years McGettigan has been Sheriff, but he's just getting around to installing it now?
Now that's embarassing.
This will be part of the pattern for McGettigan for the duration of this campaign. He'll try to make himself appear forward looking and cutting edge --- but just remember that McGettigan's record tells a much different story.
Maybe next week McGettigan can send out a press release announcing that he's going to put this new gizmo called a "microwave" in the Sheriff's Office's lunchroom to save on cooking time.
Now that would be thinking out of the box, Jim.
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