ATLANTIC CITY — While thousands of state workers protested outside the Statehouse in Trenton this morning, Gov. Chris Christie was in Atlantic City touting the new deal between Republicans and Democrats on pension and health benefits that he said will become a model for the country. At the annual conference of the New Jersey Association of Counties, Christie took...
Gov. Chris Christie, pictured in Atlantic City in July 2010, was back there today for the conference of the New Jersey Association of Counties.ATLANTIC CITY — While thousands of state workers protested outside the Statehouse in Trenton this morning, Gov. Chris Christie was in Atlantic City touting the new deal between Republicans and Democrats on pension and health benefits that he said will become a model for the country.
At the annual conference of the New Jersey Association of Counties, Christie took the podium to a standing ovation of some 200 county officials who have also been under pressure to keep their property tax increases under 2 percent like the other levels of government.
"New Jersey is setting a model for dealing with these problems in an honest, forthright and bipartisan way," he said, noting the pension bill being discussed this morning in the Senate budget and appropriations committee will save $122 billion over the next 30 years.
Christie singled out the four legislative leaders — Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester); Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver (D-Essex); Senate Minority leader Tom Kean Jr. (R-Essex); and Assembly Minority leader Alex DeCroce (D-Morris) — who he said are "true leaders" working for the best interest of the public and not pandering to public opinion polls.
He said the bipartisan agreement will serve as a national model "that the president and the Congress can only aspire to."
Previous coverage:
• Some N.J. Democrats tell protesters they will not vote for public worker pension overhaul
• N.J. Democrats are unable to win unions over on proposed benefits deal
• NJEA attacks party bosses over pension and health benefits reform proposal
• N.J. pension reform deal reached between Christie and 4 top lawmakers in Trenton
• Read the pension and health benefits reform bill, tell us what you find