Lobbyists Still Getting State Pensions
By Art Gallagher
The Record is reporting that even after New Jersey’s pension system has been reformed that employees of the NJ League of Municipalities, the NJ School Boards Association and the NJ Association of Counties are eligible to collect state pensions.
As of 2009, retirees of those lobbying groups were collecting pension of $1.3 million annually, according to The Record.
Senate President Steve Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver say they are working on the problem.
More from my site
Will Phil Murphy veto giving police and fire unions control of their pensions?
Christie’s Pension Overseer Resigns
Chris Christie promises to take ‘extreme measures’ on pension if Democrats don’t play ball
N.J. paying fees to firm employing Mary Pat Christie, report says
N.J. Legislature will fully fund pension in 2016, senate president vows
Guaranteed Funding for State Pensions Probably Won’t Make Ballot
N.J. pension fund earned 7.3 percent in 2014, but it remains in a big hole
Chris Christie to reduce pension payments to fill $800M NJ budget gap- Christie On Pension Reform: “We can not afford to let another year go by”
Pay for NJ public employees climbed $360M in 2013, report says
Referring to the NJ School Board Assocaition as just “lobbyists” is not even close to being an accurate statement. Note that in 1914, the New Jersey Legislature authorized local boards of education to form a federation to “investigate such subjects relating to education in its various branches as it may think proper, and … encourage and aid all movements for the improvement of the educational affairs of New Jersey.”
Today the NJSBA provides local sb’s a wide variety of services including yearly required training in each of a boards members first three years as a member of their local board.
There is also very valuable additional training offered in areas such as negotiations and finance. NJSBA is also a very valuable go to resource for school board members.
NJSBA is very effective in providing direct services, training and representation for boards of education across the state.
My personal opinion is that local sb’s and residents in their towns receive a tremendous value as the result of NJSBA services.
I am not as famiar with the LoM, but it was also formed almost 100 years ago when a bill was passed which “authorized municipalities in this State to join or to form and join an organization of municipalities for joint municipal action upon questions affecting the general welfare of such municipalities.”
In all honosty, I don’t have a problem with these employees getting a pension since both organizations were basically formed by the state to provide services exclusively to local governments or school districts.
A much clearer abuse of the system is when people are holding multiple public jobs at the same time.