New Jersey State PBA 2016 Endorsements
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
District 8
VOTE
NJ
2016 E State PBA
ndors
ement
s
Albio Sires (I), Democrat
District 1
Donald Norcross (I), Democrat
District 2
Frank LoBiondo (I), Republican
District 3
Tom MacArthur (I), Republican
District 4
Chris Smith (I), Republican
District 5
Bill Pascrell (I), Democrat
District 10
Donald Payne (I), Democrat
District 11
Rodney Frelinghuysen (I), Republican
District 12
None
Josh Gottheimer, Democrat
NEW JERSEY LEGISLATURE 2016
SPECIAL ELECTION
District 6
District 18
Frank Pallone (I), Democrat
District 7
Leonard Lance (I), Republican
NIXON CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15
state legislature to act first.
The proposed PFRS Board would have the power to
compel payments of pension funds by local governments
that make up the vast majority of PFRS. A revised PFRS
would stand on its own as one of the largest pension funds in
16
District 9
NEW JERSEY COPS
■
OCTOBER 2016
State Senate – Pat Diegnan
State Assembly – Robert Karabinchak
(I)-Incumbent
the U.S. as well. And removing PFRS from state control also
gives it breathing room for whatever may come with the
underfunding of the pension systems for state workers and
teachers.
We are fortunate to have received the support and encouragement of the legislative leadership for our proposal, and
we are grateful to Senate President Sweeney and Speaker Prieto who have authorized the drafting of it as a bill. They both
recognize, as we do, that PFRS is a unique pension system
that must be allowed to grow outside of the limitations and
politics of state government.
This is a plan that will not be rushed, however. We are currently reviewing the bill draft with legal counsel and our actuary to ensure that it incorporates every power and every
safeguard to protect the system and improve its funding.
There are those who will argue that everything is fine the
way things are. That the state is a savvy investor. That the politics that govern pension decisions will one day change.
Unfortunately, the people who want to stand still forget that
PFRS is underfunded, split into tiers and COLA has been eliminated because of the state. Sitting back and waiting for the
state to right the ship and send PFRS back to 100-percent
funded is foolish and dangerous. Why would PBA members
want to put their trust in the future with the state that underfunded and cut PFRS benefits to start with?
The movement of the legislation could take some time, but
PBA members should be assured that this proposal is the
result of nearly two years of research and independent legal
and actuarial review. In the long-and-storied history of the
State PBA, we have been known to take bold and historic steps
to improve the law enforcement profession. This proposal represents another significant milestone, and it is designed to
protect and enhance a pension that all of you work tirelessly
and selflessly for a lifetime to earn. d