Merkt attacks Corzine over union contract

In the private sector this would likely constitute an unfair labor practice. Collective bargaining is the forum for forging agreements. It's not supposed to be done on the sly, with no serious quid pro quo. The notion that the cost is inconsequential is a blatant lie. He references the impact solely on co-pays. What about the unfunded liabilities implicit in no-cost health care? That's the cost that's driving the big three automakers into bankruptcy. And, in the midst of that, our Governor says it's no big deal???? It's good to see Katz's "opposition" to the agreement--on just this point--has apparently been heard by the Governor, after the fact and with absolutely no reason. This is a disgrace and outrage and will certainly come back to haunt Corzine and state workers. taxpayers will voice outrage over actions such as this, in the face of confiscatory taxes in this State. One day soon we'll have a true statesman who runs the State in the same manner as companies under fiscal distress...because that's precisely what we have become, an organization in technical bankruptcy, in no small part thanks to the absurd unfunded liabilities from state employees' pensions and health care. And that's the fact!

dadjag wrote..." Let me ask you this Jerseyred did you ever pay into your pension fund?" Of course. I've paid into Social Security for 40+ years. The notion that public employees are bearing the cost of their pensions and health care is absurd. In years past, when public sector employees were paid less than peer private sector employees, richer benefits were justified as a partial gap-filler. Today, public sector employees are paid, on average, more than private sector employees. Yet, they continue to receive benefits that are more excessive and liberal than those provided virtually anyone in the private sector. It's absolutely untrue--but typical of the simple, class warfare used when the facts are against you--that salaries to management are anywhere near the cost of pensions and benefits. And, very soon, the State will need to report the true cost of these benefits...just as the private sector has done for years. Then everyone will see just what our officials and their Union comrades have done. They've pushed this State into a virtual state of bankruptcy. I', sure you know that the unfunded pension liability ALONE is over $60,000 per employee; for police and fire the unfunded liability is over $125,000 per employee. Use any of the old "us-versus-them" arguments that our poor-me public employees you want. The fact is that the end is near. These liabilities are coming to light very soon, and the uproar will be like nothing this State has ever seen. When everyone can see how New Jersey taxpayers have been taken for a ride by greedy and complicit "public servants", voters will sweep out the offenders like the duplicitous, self-dealing gangsters they are.