The roads in New Jersey are crumbling. The bridges in New Jersey are rusting. The potholes in New Jersey are cavernous. So how do we fix this? According to State Senator Jennifer Beck, we have the state and school workers pay for it. How? By cutting their health benefits.
Yes, we fix the roads by cutting the health benefits of public servants. Because, after all, it's not huge trucks or the millions of cars that wear out roads. It’s sick public employees. Right?
It seems that we have a real block in this state about the possibility of ever raising the gas tax, even though it is so ridiculously low as to be nearly ineffective. I guess the legislators in this state take great pride in hearing “New Jersey” when news reports are discussing where to get the cheapest gas this Memorial Day weekend.
But if you think about it, what wears out the roads? Motor vehicles. And what do they run on? Well, unless you drive a Tesla or a Nissan Leaf, they run on, wait for it, gas! Yes, that’s right, that petroleum-based liquid that we in New Jersey seem to hold in the same esteem as Taylor ham (or pork roll, depending on where you’re from.)
So Ms. Beck thinks that the broken roads can be fixed by going around the concept of collective bargaining (do ANY Republicans work in union jobs??) and simply reducing the level of benefits “to bring it into line with what the federal government is saying should be a standard plan.” Because we all know that the federal government is the best possible example of how to run health care!! Obamacare, anyone?
How rich, that while Republicans all around the country are denouncing Obamacare, we have a state senator who is saying it should be the standard that we judge our state employees health benefits on. Who’s kidding who here?
Meanwhile, the state pension system remains on the brink of bankruptcy with no clear funding alternatives in sight because the state government (and the state governor) refuse to honor the terms of the law that the governor himself pushed for and the legislature supported.
I have an idea. How about we raise the gas tax to fund the pension?? If you want state workers to pay for the roads with their health benefits, I think asking the drivers of the state to pay for state pensions is only fair. Senator Beck, can I ask for your support??
