Do-nothing tag fits, to a point

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Gov. Chris Christie has used the phrase "Do-Nothing Legislature" so often that he might as well trademark it.

Actually, "Do-Nothing Legislature" is imprecise, and Christie uses it imprecisely to belittle good legislation that the Senate and Assembly DO pass. But he has a strong argument that the two Democrat-led houses aren't acting fast enough to relieve financial pressures on towns and cities.

On Monday, the Assembly endorsed extra penalties for someone who kills a police dog in the line of duty, a bill based on a Gloucester Township incident. It passed a bill to keep doctors and dentists from using the ocean as a cheap trash can for costly-to-handle medical waste. These aren't trivial bills. But lawmakers ought to be able to walk a clean beach and chew gum at the same time.

Senate President Stephen Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver are stalling over ways to help towns curb fixed costs under the 2 percent spending caps the state has mandated. Not all of Christie's so-called "tool kit" bills will yield immediate savings, but the Legislature has put a "whenever" timetable on too many of them.

Under the "Do-Nothing" banner, the governor's office put out figures Tuesday citing more than $40 million that several large (mostly money-starved) municipalities had to pay out in cash in the past year for unused sick and vacation time for retiring and departed employees, including $3.3 million in Camden and $7.1 million in Atlantic City. Total accumulated municipal sick/vacation leave liability in New Jersey is $825 million, according to the governor.

Accumulation of sick/vacation time over years and years, so employees can claim big checks on their last day, is a problem that needs a prompt reversal. The Legislature hasn't provided one.

True, the Legislature sent Christie a weaker sick-leave "cap" bill that he conditionally vetoed. But that shouldn't run out the clock on this measure, or efforts to compel public employees to pay realistic percentages of their health premiums. Both could provide near-term savings.

New Jersey doesn't really have a "Do-Nothing Legislature." It does have one that's dragging its 240 collective feet on some key reforms.



Do-nothing tag fits, to a point Wednesday, May 11, 2011 Gov. Chris Christie has used the phrase "Do-Nothing Legislature" so often that he might as well trademark it. Actually, "Do-Nothing Legislature" is imprecise, and Christie uses it imprecisely to belittle good legislation that the Senate and Assembly DO pass. But he has a strong argument that the two Democrat-led houses aren't acting fast enough to relieve financial pressures on towns and cities. On Monday, the Assembly endorsed extra penalties for someone who kills a police dog in the line of duty, a bill based on a Gloucester Township incident. It passed a bill to keep doctors and dentists from using the ocean as a cheap trash can for costly-to-handle medical waste. These aren't trivial bills. But lawmakers ought to be able to walk a clean beach and chew gum at the same time. Senate President Stephen Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver are stalling over ways to help towns curb fixed costs under the 2 percent spending caps the state has mandated. Not all of Christie's so-called "tool kit" bills will yield immediate savings, but the Legislature has put a "whenever" timetable on too many of them. Under the "Do-Nothing" banner, the governor's office put out figures Tuesday citing more than $40 million that several large (mostly money-starved) municipalities had to pay out in cash in the past year for unused sick and vacation time for retiring and departed employees, including $3.3 million in Camden and $7.1 million in Atlantic City. Total accumulated municipal sick/vacation leave liability in New Jersey is $825 million, according to the governor. Accumulation of sick/vacation time over years and years, so employees can claim big checks on their last day, is a problem that needs a prompt reversal. The Legislature hasn't provided one. True, the Legislature sent Christie a weaker sick-leave "cap" bill that he conditionally vetoed. But that shouldn't run out the clock on this measure, or efforts to compel public employees to pay realistic percentages of their health premiums. Both could provide near-term savings. New Jersey doesn't really have a "Do-Nothing Legislature." It does have one that's dragging its 240 collective feet on some key reforms. ©2011 Gloucester County Times © 2011 NJ.com All Rights Reserved.