URGENT: Write a Letter to Corzine & Christie - Corzine is trying to sabotage the incoming administration. He is going against the will of the people.

Of the 180 11th hour appointments Corzine has put forth for senate confirmation, 4 are for the Public Employment Relations Commission (PERC). These people set the tone for the collective bargaining process as they hear appeals to arbitrated contracts.

For example, if a municipality appeals an arbitrated union contract to them saying that the arbitrator did not consider today's dire economic state, it's up to this body to opine if it has merit. If it sides with the municipality it changes the threshold for change for all arbitrated and by implication all contracts that don't go to arbitration as that's always an option.

This body has been and would continue to be extremely labor friendly. Our labor contracts constitute 55% of our budgets. We are giving away golden packages with healthcare plans that cost >$20K per person, $150 - $250K checks at retirement for unused vacation and deferred comp while they have gotten "extra" days for bar mitzvah's, weddings and even shopping.

Please write a letter to Corzine, and the senators who can block these nominations. I have penned a sample letter and below are all the addresses you need. PLEASE HELP MAKE SURE WE GET THE ADMINISTRATION WE VOTED FOR. (some of the terms of these appointments are for 3 or more years!!! The PERC ones are for 3 years and it's a 7 panel board for 4 appointments = a labor friendly majority)

Here is what I penned and for your convenience
the list of addresses to copy. For Corzine, all we have is his home
address so you have to send it though the USPS.

govelect@govelect.state.nj.us,

Senstack@njleg.org, senbsmith@njleg.org,
senbuono@njleg.org, sensarlo@njleg.org, (these folks can block the
nominations)

donnaantonucci@gmail.com
(please copy me so I know how many people participated)

Copy the nominees:

aeeaton@rci.rutgers.edu (Adrienne Eaton) 216 Lawrence Ave, Highland
Park, NJ 08904
skrengel@edlawcenter.org (Sharon Krengel)
Local108yttw@msn.com (Ira Stern - Nominated for the Chair position)
pbvoos@rci.rutgers.edu (Paula Voos)

Governor Jon Corzine
1025 Maxwell Lane
P109/1200
Hoboken, NJ 07030

RE: 4 PERC Nominations

Governor Corzine,

I am writing to ask you to withdraw the 4 nominations for the PERC
Board. As you know, these 4 positions have been in hold over status
for quite some time. I believe one post expired at the end of 2007.
As such, you are creating a majority that will serve for the next 3
years rather one that would have been staggered out over one year of
the new administration. I believe NJ needs a new direction.

As I am sure you have read the NJ Commission of Investigations report
dated December 2009, our public employee contracts under the
collective bargaining process are fleecing the state. Most
embarrassing for Hoboken, Hoboken was cited as an example of how the
current collective bargaining process has condoned tremendous excesses
and abuse. The PERC board sets the tone and determines the burden of
proof in any appeal.

We sent former Police Chief LaBruno off into retirement with a
$525,000 payout on top of his 7 figure NPV retirement + health care
for life. We cannot get our public employees to contribute to
healthcare premiums or take a plan limited to a network or has a
deductible above $200 per family. In 2008/2009 we spent $23,000 per
employee because we have not been able to get them away from a very
expensive plan. Our contract has extra days for weddings, bar
mitzvahs, blood donation. As such, they accrue a tremendous amount of
vacation that they take at the retirement in addition to terminal
pay. We are paying out $150 to $250,000 per public safety employee
who retires with 25 years or more on top of their lucrative pension.

I have reviewed the PERC website and have looked at various appeals.
Many municipalities have tried to make the argument that these are
dire economic times. Our population is out of work, underemployed and
leaving the state. Hoboken's median age is 30 v the state average of
36. We have a disproportionate number of young people who are
experiencing much higher unemployment - as much as 50%. Personnel
costs represent 55% of our budget. We cannot afford to pay into the
pensions system to make good on these contracts. NJ comes in dead
last in terms of property taxes in the country based on the The Tax
Foundation - a non profit that looks at taxation across the nation.
We have the highest income tax rate in our upper income bands and many
of our wealthy are leaving the state and on a microcosm, Hoboken as
well. If we don't impact these contracts, we cannot bring relief to
the citizens of Hoboken.

The PERC Commissioners burden of proof that economic conditions are
severe enough to curtail increases much less wage and benefits cuts
never seem to be enough. We need a PERC board that thinks differently
and I think Governor-elect Christie will marshall in that group if you
let him.

We are in the middle of negotiating our public safety contracts. The
unions are well aware that the terms of 6 out of 7 PERC Commissioners
have expired. By putting forth these nominations at this time is
allowing them to continue to resist necessary and prudent benefits
cuts and wage freezes.

I urge you to rescind these 4 nominations and allow the new
administration to do so.

Sincerely,