COURT HOUSE — According to a release from Democrat Freeholder candidates Robert Jackson and Patrick Morley, the Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism and Historic Preservation Committee Tue., Oct. 19 approved a bill that would prohibit elected officials from being able to collect a public pension and salary at the same time for the same elected position.
Two pieces of legislation, S-1875 and S-346 close a loophole that allows an elected official to retire from an elected position, start collecting a pension based upon service in their current elected office, and yet stay in their elected office collecting their full public salary, the release stated.
The bills are sponsored by Republican Senator Steven Oroho, who is quoted in his press release stating:
“It is an abuse of the public trust for politicians to be treated more favorably than any public employee. If we are truly serious about the need for pension reform, elected officials must be willing to lead by example.”
Oroho also stated: “It is clear that the public has had enough. The average taxpayer views this scenario as double-dipping and they want these public pension abuses to stop.”
Jerry Thornton takes advantage of this loophole, the release from the Democrat candidates stated. Thornton collects a pension based upon service as a Freeholder, and collects a full public salary as a Freeholder, they said.
“Even Jerry’s Republican friends from all over New Jersey, know that what he is doing is wrong. We agree with the Republican Senator Oroho: Thornton has abused the public trust,” said Jackson.
“Why does a part-time Freeholder like Jerry Thornton take a better deal than the full time, hard working employees of Cape May County, who have worked a lifetime at their job? They do not get to double-dip,” Morley added. “The pension system was supposed to help full time employees who worked for decades for the County. It is instead being abused by part time politicians like Thornton, and it is costing us all a fortune.”
Cape May – Governor Murphy says he doesn't know anything about the drones and doesn't know what they are doing but he does know that they are not dangerous. Does anyone feel better now?
