The President’s Message
Rememb ering Bobby Smith
and matters related to PFRS
NEW JERSEY STATE
POLICEMEN’S BENEVOLENT
ASSOCIATION
EXECUTIVE BOARD
PATRICK COLLIGAN
State President
MARC KOVAR
Executive Vice-President
Peter Andreyev 1st Vice-President
Henry Werner 2nd Vice-President
Michael Pellegrino 3rd Vice-President
Mark Aurigemma 4th Vice-President
Eugene Dello 5th Vice-President
Keith Bennett 6th Vice-President
Richard Kott 7th Vice-President
Frederick Ludd, Sr. 8th Vice-President
Luke Sciallo 9th Vice-President
Frank P. Cipully 10th Vice-President
John Cernek 11th Vice-President
Ed Carattini, Jr. 12th Vice-President
Michael Kaniuk Financial Secretary
Margaret Hammond Recording Secretary
John Monsees Treasurer
Michael Freeman Trustee
Bryan Flammia Trustee
Robert Ormezzano Trustee
Terrance Benson, Sr. Trustee
Rodney Furby Trustee
Charles Schwartz Trustee
Patrick Moran Trustee
Joseph A. Macones Sergeant-at-Arms
Sean Plasket Sergeant-at-Arms
Michael Tardio Sergeant-at-Arms
Michael Heller Sergeant-at-Arms
Keith Curry Sergeant-at-Arms
Christopher Ricciotti Sergeant-at-Arms
John Granahan Sergeant-at-Arms
Andrew Pacucci Sergeant-at-Arms
Joseph Nigro Sergeant-at-Arms
Kelly Polack Sergeant-at-Arms
Glenn Pagano Sergeant-at-Arms
4
NEW
NEW JERSEY
JERSEY COPS
COPS
■ JULY
2017 2016
OCTOBER
■
Be safe!
On Sept. 16, those of us who were at the PBA Convention in Phoenix had the
extraordinary honor of hearing Louisiana State Trooper Bobby Smith tell the
story of his incredible, and truly unbelievable, journey through life. His story
had what I know will be a profound and lasting impact on many of our lives
that day.
On Oct. 2, we woke up to the surreal news that Bobby Smith had passed
Patrick
away through the night. I can’t even begin to adequately tell his story on these
Colligan
pages. If you weren’t at the convention and want to learn about his inspiring
story please see page 52 or visit www.visionsofcourage.com. We lost another
true hero on Oct. 2, a blind man who taught more than 1 million people since
1986 how to see.
Patrick
If you
follow New Jersey politics, even a little bit, you witnessed one hell of a ride in the first
days of
October. If you weren’t happy with the political landscape at any one moment in those
Colligan
days, you only had to wait about 15 minutes for the score to change. The score changed often.
It forced us, for many reasons, to endorse a gubernatorial candidate much quicker than we
had anticipated. I will explain the landscape and how quickly it moved at our Oct. 18 state
meeting. We also have the great honor of introducing our endorsed candidate, Ambassador
Phil Murphy, at that meeting.
Later in the pages of this issue you will hear more about the plan to split PFRS from the
state as a stand-alone system run as a public labor management plan. I will say that after
almost two years of research, I haven’t found one single reason not to do it, but many reasons
to do it.
The plan will have zero impact on the other systems. We will still contract with the Division
to cut checks and administer parts of the plan so nobody gets laid off. Standing alone, our
plan will be ranked in the top 150 pension plans in the country, and we will still be able to
purchase investments at the best possible rates.
The NJ State pension investments lost almost 1 percent this past year. When compared
nationally, you should know that took a lot of work. Quite simply that should not have hap-
pened. Standing alone would also give us greater control to restore COLA much quicker than
Chapter 78 would ever allow and eventually return us to the days of a single tier. Most impor-
tantly, the new plan would still be considered a “public” plan, and we would maintain the
constitutional right to a pension.
The bill has been drafted and as expected is already at 47 pages. I think most would agree
that the state isn’t very good at running a pension. Nothing will ever protect us from a down-
turn in the market, but at least we can make sure their hands are out of our wallets.
Also in this issue, you will read about Kevin Lyons, the NJ State PBA-endorsed candidate
for Retiree Representative to the PFRS Trustee Board. His background and knowledge about
pension issues speaks for itself. He is not one of the many candidates that suddenly jumped
into this race because the mood struck him. Many of those candidates truly have no concept
of what that PFRS Board does as evidenced by their campaign materials. Kevin has been
involved in union issues for decades and will bring that knowledge and passion to the PFRS
Board. If you are a retiree who cares about your pension, make sure you vote. And I hope you
will vote for Kevin Lyons.
Finally, we find ourselves again in another tragic period of law enforcement officers being
injured and killed. As I said at the beginning of the month, there will be no street protests or
politicians calling for justice; just officers and families mourning the loss of another hero. The
answer to this insanity will not happen overnight, but the tide will change again. I pray it is
much sooner than later.
Stay safe! d
My message is simple this month.
Not only are law enforcement line of duty
deaths on the rise this year from the same
time last year, but more officers are getting
ambushed as well. The rhetoric from the
anti-law enforcement factions disgusts me. I place
the blame squarely on their backs.
Continue to do your job. Continu