Sen Jennifer Beck: Sick leave reform is due, our property taxes depend on it | Opinion

By Jennifer Beck Ending egregious sick and vacation leave payouts is an effort that has been years in the making, but the overtaxed residents of New Jersey have waited long enough. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have introduced legislation that takes aim at these abuses, and we were even able to pass $15,000 sick… Read the rest of this entry »

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Kyrillos To Seek Vote on Unused Sick Leave Reform

Will Attempt to Force Senate Consideration of Governor’s Conditional Veto

Trenton— In an effort to offer relief to property tax payers and prevent public safety layoffs, Senator Joe Kyrillos (R- Monmouth/Middlesex) will attempt to force consideration of the Governor’s conditional veto of S-2220, which eliminates payouts of unused sick time for public employees, at tomorrow’s Senate session.

“Rather than trying to override the Governor on bills the Majority cannot find the funds to support, the Senate should be passing unfinished toolkit legislation that will help avert public safety layoffs and property tax increases,” Kyrillos said. “Sick leave cash outs present an enormous strain on local government budgets that must be stopped. The Governor is absolutely right in requiring that these cash outs be phased out for all employees, current and future, in his veto message. Sick leave should be used when you are sick, not as a cash gift upon retirement.”

Kyrillos will motion that the conditional veto be taken up as the Senate’s “Order of the Day”. It is up to the Senate President to decide whether or not the motion is in order.

“I hope that the Senate President will hear, as I have, the call of police and firemen who are concerned about the impact of layoffs on our communities,” said Kyrillos. “We need to make tax dollars go farther by giving towns and counties the tools they need to reign in unnecessary costs and fund priorities that matter. Unused sick leave is a perfect example of a cost to local government that no longer needs to exist.”

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