The New Jersey State Constitution is not an Excel spreadsheet. To
treat it as such is to cheapen its value by turning it into a pedestrian
legislative tool. Yet, that is precisely what the New Jersey
Legislature will accomplish if voters go along with its proposal to
constitutionally mandate pension payments each year.
There is a
reason why the Federal Government and all of the 50 United States of
America govern under the principle of the separation of powers: That
system charges legislatures with the responsibility to enact law, and
not to evade seemingly intractable problems by codifying them into their
constitutions.
The apparently overwhelming problem of New Jersey's public pension
plans that are grossly underfunded by from $50 to $95 billion,
depending upon how the math is calculated, is the joint responsibility
of the State Legislature and of the Executive branch. It is not one to
be evaded.
The New Jersey Legislature's end-run around its
law-making responsibilities by kicking the pension-shortfall-can down
the road to voters in the form of a referendum is an admission of its
gross inability to govern through negotiated comprise with the current
governor of this state. Tough!
Furthermore, since the power of
our next governor is very likely to be handed over to a Democrat at the
end of next year, that person will rue the day that this constitutional
amendment ever passed, if it does, because it will force that
executive's hand into unthinkable budget-making cuts in essential
services and infrastructure needs while pushing for sky-high tax
increases.
Would the last person please put the lights out in New Jersey?
Thanks for checking in, and stay safe.
