AFTNJ, Professional Firefighters Association and League of Conservation Voters Endorse Zwicker for State Assembly

Zwicker
Zwicker

Andrew Zwicker, a Democratic candidate challenging Jack Ciaterelli and Donna Simon to represent New Jersey’s 16th Legislative District 16, has been endorsed by the Professional Firefighters Association of New Jersey, which represents more than 4,000 firefighters and emergency services workers, and by the American Federation of Teachers New Jersey, which represents 32,000 members who work in schools from pre-kindergarten through university. Zwicker has also been endorsed by the League of Conservation Voters.

“I am honored to be endorsed by the Professional Firefighters Association of New Jersey and by the AFT,” Zwicker said, adding that if he is elected, he will make full funding of state pensions a priority.

“It is appalling that the state government has ducked out of its responsibility to fund the pensions of state workers, including first responders,” Zwicker said.

Zwicker earned his doctorate in physics from Johns Hopkins University. He heads the science education department at the Plasma Physics Laboratory at Princeton University.

A candidates’ forum for the 16th Legislative District race will be held tonight at 7 p.m. the municipal building at 400 Witherspoon Street.

4 Comments

  1. Why exactly do we have an “appalling” state pension problem? New Jersey voters voted for it:

    Recent NJ Governors Contributions to the State Pension Fund:

    Christine Whitman (R) – $1,200,000,000 contribution
    Governor Jim McGreevey (D) – $100,000,000 contribution (only)
    Richard Codey (D) – $165,000,000 contribution (only)
    Jon Corzine (D) – $2,100,000,000 contribution
    Chris Christie (R) – $4,256,000,000 contribution (through 2015)

    So define the problem: Public pensions too generous (NJ cannot afford them)
    Who caused the problem: Democratic majorities and Governors who voted for the budgets.

    Totals from above during this period:

    Democratic Governors contributed: $3,565,000,000 (some as little as $100m)
    Republican Governors contributed: $6,356,000,000

    Fact check that. Facts are stubborn things.

    Vote accordingly.

    1. Yes, facts are stubborn things. Whitman started the entire pension issue by borrowing money from the future to fund the pension and to close NJ’s budget gap. The Democrats were opposed to it, but it wasn’t a winning argument. Unfortunately, they chose to join the Republicans at this game. This Republican led future was predicted at the time:

      https://www.nytimes.com/1995/02/22/opinion/in-america-whitman-steals-the-future.html

      Also, credit for Christie’s contribution really has to be given to Sen. Sweeney (a Democrat).

      Sorry, but those are the facts.

    2. Jim McGreevey was in office for 2 years, Codey for 2 years. Whitman was in office from 1994-2001 and then DiFrancesco took over to finish her term.
      Corzine was governor for 4 years, Christie is a 2 term governor.

    3. Here’s a list of the 10 largest state pension contributions, the governor who made them, and the fiscal year in which the funding was deposited into the pension system. (All information comes from the New Jersey Department of Treasury).
      1. $1.05 billion – Corzine, FY2008
      2. $1.03 billion – Christie, FY2013
      3. $1.02 billion – Corzine, FY2007
      4. $696 million – Christie, FY2014
      5. $484.5 million – Christie, FY2012
      6. $286 million – Christie Todd Whitman, FY1999
      7. $228 million – Whitman, FY1996
      8. $193 million – Whitman, FY1995
      9. $165 million – Richard J. Codey, FY2006
      10. $106 million – Corzine, FY2009
      from njspotlight.com

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