Christie Administration Announces Contract Agreement With Third-Largest Public Employee Negotiations Unit

Financial Terms Recognize Fiscal Realities and Limitations as New Jersey Emerges from Recession

Trenton, NJ – The Christie Administration has reached a four-year contract agreement with a state employee collective negotiations unit representing more than 5,000 employees.  The financial terms of the agreement, which provide for no across the board salary increases in the first two years and small increases in the third and final years, are a practical recognition by both the negotiations unit and the Christie Administration of the strains on budget resources and state revenues and the continuing need to restrain costs as New Jersey emerges from recession.

The agreement, which requires ratification by the union memberships, was reached with the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), AFL-CIO Local 195, and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Local 518.  Both union locals are covered under one contract, and the new agreement will succeed the prior agreement which expired June 30, 2011.  The agreement was reached last week and is expected to be voted on by the locals’ respective memberships in the coming weeks.

The across the board salary increases in the agreement are as follows:  July 1, 2011 – 0 percent; July 1, 2012 – 0 percent; July 1, 2013 – 1 percent , and July 1, 2014 – 1.75 percent. 

“The financial terms of this agreement are, at best, similar to what most New Jerseyans in the private sector have experienced in recent years.  The same can be said for non-union state employees in the executive branch who have not seen a raise in over four years,” said Governor Christie.  “I thank both union locals for their recognition of the reality we all confront and for their honest and fair negotiations with my administration.  I can tell you that we have the same expectations for our other public employee contracts still being negotiated.”

IFPTE represents approximately 4,900 state employees throughout departments in the executive branch and at state colleges, with job titles falling into the categories of operations, maintenance and services; crafts (mechanics, engineers, plumbers, etc.); and inspection and security.  SEIU represents approximately 190 employees at the state Motor Vehicle Commission.  Together IFPTE/SEIU represents the third-largest state employee civilian negotiations unit.

The Christie Administration continues negotiations with 12 other public employee unions, the largest being the Communications Workers of America, representing approximately 35,000 state employees.

State Senator Joe Kyrillos (R- Monmouth/Middlesex) issued the following statement congratulating Governor Christie for coming to a contract agreement with state employees represented by the IFPTE and SEIU:

“The Governor promised that there would be someone fighting for the taxpayers at the negotiating table, and this contract makes good on that promise.”

“Through a commitment to collective bargaining, the contract agreed to by the Administration, SEIU, and IFPTE is fair to employees and taxpayers alike, and reflects the economic realities facing private sector workers across our state.”

“This approach to labor negotiations is a model that I hope future Administrations will follow, as it puts taxpayers’ interests first.”

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Governor’s Press Conference

Governor Chris Christie will hold a press conference in his outer office this morning at 11:30.

You can watch it live here:

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Christie Town Hall Meeting in Spotswood Next Week

Governor Chris Christie will hold a town hall meeting meeting on Wednesday December 21, 2011 at the Spotswood Knights of Columbus, 30 Crescent Ave, Spotswood, NJ 08884. 

Doors open at 11:45 am for the noon meeting.

Seating is on a first come first served basis, but the Governor’s office requests that you RSVP here in order to ensure adequate seating.

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Senatorial Courtesy

Senatorial Courtesy, an oft written about unwritten rule of the legislative confirmation process that is in the news in New Jersey due to a battle that Governor Chris Christie is having with the Essex County senate delegation over the confirmation of Acting Education Commissioner Christopher Cerf.

On the federal level, both U.S. senators of a state, or the senior senator of the presidents party, can block the confirmation of a presidential appointee  who resides in the state the senators represent. 

In New Jersey, a senator can block the confirmation of a gubernatorial appointee who resides in the senator’s home county.

On both the federal level and in New Jersey, the senators don’t need a reason to block the confirmation.

The Democrats who control the New Jersey Senate are apparently stung by Governor Christie’s campaign against senatorial courtesy and the Essex County Democrats that Christie has targeted with criticism.  Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Nicholas Scutari (D-Union) has instructed the Office of Legislative Services to restrict access to the data base of who is exercising senatorial courtesy to only the Senate President and top staffers, thereby preventing Republicans from finding out who is blocking the governor’s appointments, according to The Star Ledger.

We don’t hear much about the Monmouth County delegation invoking senatorial courtesy.  The last time I can recall it the tradition being discussed publicly regarding a Monmouth County nominee was when Democratic County Chairman Victor Scudiery asked then Republican Senator Joe Palaia to block Luis Valentin’s appointment as prosecutor in 2005.  Palaia declined and Valentin was confirmed.

Just because we don’t hear about it doesn’t mean it isn’t happening.

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Poor Dick Codey

Power Has Its Privileges

Senate President Stephen Sweeney famously called Governor Chris Christie a “rotten prick” last summer over the budget.  Assembly Speaker Sheila has called Christie a liar, a bully and implied his his administration was racist.  Christie just shrugs it off and keeps working with them.

Former Acting Governor Richard Codey, Sweeney’s predecessor, called Christie a liar earlier this week.  Christie responded by firing Codey’s cousin from a $215,000 job at the Pork Authority and cancelling Codey’s State Police security detail.

Codey can take comfort in the fact that Christie is giving him more rough and especially tumble material for the paperback edition to his book and that he hasn’t tumbled as far as Jon Corzine.

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Oceanport Offers To Take Over Monmouth Park As Transitional Measure

The Borough of Oceanport, home of Monmouth Park, 1/3 of Fort Monmouth and 6,000 residents has offered to serve as a temporary landlord and transitional vehicle of the racetrack, according to NJ.com.

In a letter to Governor Chris Christie , Mayor Michael J. Mahon offered the borough’s resources and commitment to resolve the current differences and provide a new model for sustainability for the park.

The deal to transfer Monmouth Park from state control, under the auspices of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, to a private management by developer and casino investor Morris Bailey fell apart earlier this monthover a dispute between the state and the New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association over racing date licenses.  On Monday, Christie said the horsemen had a week to come up with an acceptable proposal or risk the park’s closure.

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Horse Racing Out, Quickie Weddings In

The State of New Jersey is setting it self up to to replace the the $780 million that the horse racing industry contributes to the economy, including $115 million in tax revenue, by drawing tourists to the state for quickie weddings.

During his press conference in Trenton yesterday Governor Chris Christie said that Monmouth Park Racetrack would close unless the “completely untrustworthy,” “millionaire” thoroughbred horsemen offer the state acceptable terms to keep the track open within the next week.  

The deal to transfer Monmouth Park from state control to the management of developer and casino investor Morris Bailey apparently fell apart over the New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association’s demand that they have the rights to a small number of racing days or receive $5 million for not getting those rights for which they had previously negotitated but the state  later didn’t want to give them.

Christie said, ““I am no longer going to permit millionaire horsemen to take money from waiters and waitresses and police officers and teachers or the taxpayers of this state to fund their industry,” according to The Asbury Park Press.

Those waiters and waitresses can serve food and drink to lovestruck tourists rushing to New Jersey for a quickie weddings.  Down the hall from Christie’s press conference, the Assembly Judiciary Committee was unanimously passing a bill that, if passed by the full Assembly, the Senate and signed by the Governor, will eliminate the 72-hour waiting period for marriage licenses.

The police can take domestic dispute calls involving those tourists who come back to New Jersey within 30 days for the no questions asked annulments that the bill allows.   The teachers can educate the offspring of those marriages, annulled or not, that stay in New Jersey and are not aborted.

The bill, sponsored by Assemblyman Louis Greenwald, D-Norcross, is designed to give New Jersey a competitive edge over neighboring states in attracting couples who want to get married immediately.

A bill to allow Atlantic City casinos to accept bets on the success or failure of new marriages has not been introduced yet.

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Christie Press Conferenece

Governor Chris Christie will be holding a press conference this morning at 11am.

You can view it live here:

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Monmouth Park Privatization Deal Unraveling

Monmouth Park is in jeopardy of closing  due to a dispute over the licensing of thoroughbred races at the Meadowlands, according to a report in The Star Ledger.

The New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Associated successfully negotiated for the rights to the Meadowlands races on June 21.   Now the investor slated to take over the Meadowlands track, Jeffrey Gural, wants the rights back because he didn’t realize he was giving up proceeds of off-track wagering on the races.  Evidently, the Christie administration is siding with Gural and is refusing to issue the license to the horsemen.

The Meadowlands license impacts Monmouth Park because races licensed for the Meadowlands are frequently transferred to Monmouth.

As a result of the dispute, Morris Baily, the investor slated to take over Monmouth Park from the state, says he wants out of the deal, according to the Ledger.

The parties would have a lot more money to fight over, while keeping the tracks open, if  slots were permitted at the racetracks, as they are in a growing number of tracks throughout the region.

Assemblyman Ronald Dancer has introduced two pieces of legislation that would permit slots at racetracks.

A-4294 directs the Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE), in consultation with the New Jersey Racing Commission, to implement and oversee slot machine gambling operations at horse racing venues.

ACR-209 is a resolution proposing a constitutional amendment that gives the Legislature the authority to establish slot machine gambling at racetracks. If approved by voters, the specific restrictions and control of operations of slot machines, as well as the use of the State’s share of revenues derived from the machines, would be provided by law.

“Both proposals represent an incentive for the major stakeholders in this issue – the casino and horse racing industries – to come together and work out a fair and mutually beneficial agreement. Allowing slot machines at racetracks will generate revenues that will help both industries,” said Dancer. “One industry’s success does not have to be at the expense of the other. Permitting slot machines at racing venues will preserve and enhance both.

“One unique aspect of these bills is that the DGE will consult with the Racing Commission in overseeing the operation of slot machines, without the involvement of the New Jersey Lottery Commission which exists currently,” explained Dancer. “As a result, the proceeds from expanding slots at the racetracks would not be diluted to another commission, but distributed to the industries for which they are intended.

I am open to either approach in deciding this issue. We can allow the voters to determine if amending New Jersey’s Constitution is appropriate or work through the legislative process,” commented Dancer. “The casino and horse racing industries are important parts of our state’s economy. I am confident we can reach a reasonable solution as to how we can capitalize on the market potential slot machines at racetracks will produce.”

Dancer pointed out the benefits New Jersey’s horse racing industry provides to the state, including jobs, tax revenue and preserving open space. According to the Rutgers Equine Center, horse racing employs over 7,000 workers and contributes nearly $800 million to the state’s economy. Further, 34,000 acres of the state’s 176,000 farmland acres are attributable to the horse racing industry.

Unfortunately, Dancer’s legislation has little chance of becoming law, as Governor Chris Christie and Senate President Steve Sweeney are opposed to allowing slots in New Jersey anywhere outside of Atlantic City.

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“The next senator from the state of New Jersey”

~ Lewis Eisenberg referring to State Senator Joe Kyrillos

While introducing keynote speaker Governor Chris Christie to the Republican Jewish Coalition Presidential Candidates Forum this morning, Lewis Eisenberg, the group’s chairman, gave a shout out to State Senator Joe Kyrillos as “the next senator from the state of New Jersey,” according to Herb Jackson at northjersey.com.

While in Washington with Christie, Kyrillos told The Hill,

“I am looking at it really closely,” Kyrillos said Wednesday in a brief interview with The Hill. “I feel a strong calling.”

Kyrillos does not have endorsements from Eisenberg or Christie, for past work, past runs for office, or for U.S. Senate, listed on his website.

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