I have been wondering for some time how long and in what form a classic "Wag the Dog" scenario would present itself in New Jersey. Not surprisingly, and with exquisite timing, along came the (Keansburg superintendent of schools) pension issue.
Every political precinct heard from gladly decries the situation and rushes to take the opportunity to redirect public opinion away from the hideously sorry performance of our public leaders: the governor, who hasn’t yet been able to figure out what "fiscal responsibility" really means and can’t seem to come up with a way to reduce spending (and therefore, taxes); our state Legislature which invests significant time to guarantee that "double dipping" does not become extinct to say nothing of being unwilling to effectively attack property tax and ethics reform; and our county [governing bodies] that constantly worship at the feet of "pay-to-play" advocates no matter how much more it costs taxpayers.
Is the amount of pension and severance due (the Keansburg superintendent of schools) incredibly large? You bet. But, if the payments did not violate then-cur- rent labor contracts, she should be entitled to those amounts based on her 381/2 years of service.
If her accrued sick leave, vacation days, etc., violate policy, they should, by all means, be reduced to comport with guidelines. Nevertheless, to ask her to give up any portion of benefits that she legitimately earned during her years of service is patently unfair.
Joel Bohm
Manalapan