(TRENTON) – Assembly Speaker Sheila Y. Oliver (D-Essex/Passaic) issued the following statement Tuesday on Gov. Chris Christie’s proposed pension and health benefit reforms:
“Our goal remains to create sustainable benefits for valued public servants such as teachers, police officers and firefighters that is also affordable to taxpayers. To that end, the Assembly Budget Committee will review these proposals and the current state of our pension and benefits system.
“But I also want a higher level of discourse.
“I am tired of the approach that divides our state. Leaders unite and build consensus. They do not divide and conquer and create enemies of the people who teach our children and protect our safety.
“I strongly encourage the governor to sit down with the public worker unions and negotiate meaningful reforms. All sides should do this with an open mind, without acrimony and the goal of doing what’s best for all taxpayers.”