Bill's sponsor says it would help towns meet cap, but does not come close to addressing state's high property taxes Watch video
View from the gallery of the Assembly Chamber at the Statehouse in this March 2010 file photo.TRENTON — The state Assembly has passed a bill to cap police and firefighter pay raises through arbitration at an average of 2 percent a year.
The bill (A3393) reflects a compromise Democratic legislative leaders made with Republican Gov. Chris Christie last week. It is meant to help towns meet a 2 percent limit on property tax increases signed into law over the summer.
The bill passed 74-1. The lone no vote was from Assemblyman Charles Mainor (D-Hudson), a detective in the Jersey City Police Department
Its sponsor, Assemblyman Lou Greenwald (D-Camden), said it would help towns meet the cap but does not come close to fully addressing the state’s high property taxes.
“Don’t get lost in the feeling of the success of this. Don’t lose sight of those people who put themselves in harms way every day,” he said. “Don’t succumb to the seduction of the 30-second sound bite that this is going to be the answer to the property taxpayers’ problems. We have a lot more to do.”
When police and firefighter reach an impasse in contract negotiations with municipal governments, a third-party negotiator is selected to try to get the two to agree to a settlement and, if that’s impossible, to make a determination on what it should be. Under the bill, the arbitrator would have to limit their pay increases to 2 percent over the life of their contract.
Pension and health care costs, which were exempted from the 2 percent property tax limit Christie signed over the summer, will also be exempted under the bill. Arbitrators would be selected randomly and would have 45 days – down from 120 – to make a ruling. They would be financially penalized if they exceeded that time.
The bill would expire a little over three years after its January enactment date.
Previous coverage:
• N.J. lawmakers to vote on Gov. Christie's tool kit bills
• 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
• N.J. Sen. President Sweeney, Assembly Speaker Oliver reach compromise in arbitration reform
• N.J. Democrats to offer compromise on Christie's proposed arbitration reform