Ciattarelli, Simon sign on to Mr. Dancer’s bill
Since 2004, Assembly Republican Ron Dancer has introduced a bill in each legislative session that eliminates dual government pay to members of the Legislature when they are in Trenton performing their legislative duties.
Now, Assembly Republicans Jack Ciattarelli and Donna Simon have announced they will be joining Mr. Dancer as sponsors of that legislation, which has never received a committee hearing.
The bill, A306, addresses legislative officeholders who are paid $49,000 annually and also are on the public payroll in other jobs, yet are not required under current law to take an unpaid day when they attend legislative duties such as committee meetings or voting sessions.
”The taxpayers are justifiably skeptical of how government functions when they read stories about elected officials accumulating vast sums of unused entitlement compensation as was depicted in news stories over the weekend,” said Mr. Dancer, R-Ocean, Burlington, Monmouth and Ocean. “In addition to the burden they and their children must shoulder to pay for these accrued benefits, they now read of how elected officials still get paid for their regular job even when they are performing their legislative duties.”
He added, “Being compensated for two jobs while attending to matters in Trenton is wrong. Elected officials should forfeit their pay for those days they are away from their normal job. After eight years of trying to address this issue and voluntarily docking my own pay when tending to legislative duties, I am hopeful this bill will receive a hearing where all input is welcome. In light of Thursday’s state Supreme Court ruling, I believe that the use of sick time should be used for illness, not Trenton time.”
”The current law allowing legislators to collect two public paychecks and paid leaves of absence is bad enough, but doing so while also amassing unused sick and/or vacation time is an egregious affront to taxpayers,” said Mr. Ciattarelli, R-Somerset, Hunterdon, Mercer and Middlesex. “Until reform is enacted, all legislators taking advantage of this law should voluntarily draw down their unused sick and vacation time when they are not working at their regular public sector job in order to fulfill their legislative duties.”
He added, “Some suggest that municipal, county and school district employees serving as legislators make state government more dynamic. That same privilege isn’t afforded administrative assistants, electricians, mechanics and plumbers in the private sector. Even if it were, private sector employers would never allow employees that much time off without forcing them to use sick and vacation time.”
"The double-pay law for legislators is due for an overhaul,” said Ms. Simon, R-Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset. “The public doesn’t buy the excuses that try to justify a policy that affords legislators an opportunity to collect wages for one job while they are at another. It is outdated public policies such as this that keep taxpayers wondering why they pay so much. Every aspect of government expense adds up, and what always remains constant is that taxpayers end up footing the bill.”

