TRENTON — Lawmakers in the New Jersey Assembly and Senate are scheduled to vote today on bills to update two mainstays of municipal government: arbitration and civil service. Bills up for a vote in both houses are part of Gov. Chris Christie's so-called "toolkit." The measures aim to help local, county and school officials control costs that get passed...
Gov. Christie answers questions during a press conference in this December 7 photo.TRENTON — Lawmakers in the New Jersey Assembly and Senate are scheduled to vote today on bills to update two mainstays of municipal government: arbitration and civil service.
Bills up for a vote in both houses are part of Gov. Chris Christie's so-called "toolkit." The measures aim to help local, county and school officials control costs that get passed along as property tax increases.
Local governments will be required to keep cost and tax increases to 2 percent starting Jan. 1. Municipalities have been clamoring for tools to help them control costs since the Legislature approved — and Christie signed — the new cap.
The current cap is 4 percent.
Christie has warned that layoffs and service cuts will be widespread unless the Legislature passes bills that help local officials manage under the new cap.
New Jersey residents pay the highest property taxes in the nation, averaging just under $7,300 per household.
One bill up for a vote today caps salary increases that arbitrators can award to police and firefighters whose contracts are disputed at 2 percent. The proposal is the byproduct of a compromise announced last week between the Republican governor and Democrats who control the Legislature.
The bill caps salary awards, including longevity pay and automatic step increases, for police and firefighters whose unions engage arbitrators to settle contract disputes. It also fast-tracks the arbitration process so cases are settled within 45 days instead of dragging on for months or years, and caps the amount arbitrators can charge at $7,500 per case. Pension and health care costs are not included in the cap, but Christie said last week that those issues would be addressed separately in the new year.
The agreement would lapse in three years. The governor and the lawmakers agreed that it would be re-evaluated then.
Another bill changes civil service rules to make it easier to fire problem workers and cuts red tape for towns wanting to share services. However, the bill does not allow towns to opt out of civil service, as the governor wants.
Most state workers are protected by civil service, along with employees in 193 out of 566 towns and 20 of 21 counties.
Bill Dressel, executive director of the League of Municipalities, said he opposes the bill as it's currently written.
While he applauded the reform proposals, he wrote in a letter to the Assembly dated today that "the ability for a municipality to opt out of civil service is one of the most critical reforms to the system. We have documented in testimony before various legislative committees on how the current civil service system (impedes) our ability to manage personnel in these fiscally challenging times."
Previous coverage:
• Gov. Christie, N.J. Democrats reach 'tool kit' deal on union arbitration reform
• N.J. Gov. Christie announces arbitration reform deal as part of tool kit
• Second meeting with Gov. Christie brings no resolution on 'tool kit' reform for N.J. Democrats
• Gov. Christie to meet with top N.J. Democrats again to discuss tool kit reforms
• No deal struck between N.J. Democrats, Christie on property tax 'tool kit'