NJ Spotlight published the following article on July 23, 2014. To read the full article, click here.
CHRISTIE SAYS NJ MUST CUT RETIREE BENEFITS OR FACE BANKRUPTCY
MARK J. MAGYAR | JULY 23, 2014Governor kicks off ‘No Pain, No Gain’ summer tour to sell pension reform in front of protesting police and firefighters
Addressing a Jersey Shore crowd in which 200 protesting police and firefighters outnumbered Long Beach Islanders, Gov. Chris Christie yesterday asserted that New Jersey has to cut pension and health benefits for retirees or follow Detroit into bankruptcy.
“We have to pare back benefits,” said Christie, who promised to unveil a comprehensive plan by the end of August to cut pensions and healthcare costs for both retirees and current public employees.
“In the end, there will be a reduction in benefits. There’s no other way to do it,” Christie said. “Whatever I propose will be roundly criticized. It will not be easy, it will be hard and it will hurt.”
Christie’s message was not what the unionized police and firefighters and retirees — who criticized the governor for scapegoating them on the pension issue — wanted to hear.