CWA DISTRICT 1: GOVERNOR SHERRILL’S BUDGET IS A PROMISING STEP TOWARDS A MORE AFFORDABLE NEW JERSEY
| CWA DISTRICT 1: GOVERNOR SHERRILL’S BUDGET IS A PROMISING STEP TOWARDS A MORE AFFORDABLE NEW JERSEY
NJ Budget Includes Commitment to Fully Fund Public Employee Pensions and Reform the State Health Benefits Plan |
| TRENTON, NJ – Following the release of Governor Mikie Sherrill’s first executive budget, Billy Gallagher, Assistant to the Vice President, Communications Workers of America District 1, issued the following statement:
“We commend Governor Mikie Sherrill for putting New Jersey on a stronger financial footing with a fiscally responsible budget that takes important steps forward to deliver on the needs of working people. While staring down a significant structural deficit, Governor Sherrill’s budget makes important investments in necessary programs and services while maintaining a strong commitment to New Jersey’s public employees. We are grateful to the Governor for her commitment to fully funding the pension system and prioritizing real reforms to the State Health Benefits Plan (SHBP). For too long, New Jersey families have been stuck in a spiral of ever-increasing costs and we look forward to working with the Administration to address this crisis in the budget. In addition, we are glad to see the Governor's action to supplement lost federal funding for critical programs like Medicaid and SNAP. Our members are on the front lines of delivering these critical services and know first-hand how vital these programs are to ensuring working families and our most vulnerable neighbors can make ends meet. Furthermore, we support the Governor's efforts to make New Jersey fairer by scaling back certain corporate tax breaks and imposing reasonable employer contributions to the NJ Family Care program. Ensuring that large corporations pay their fair share is essential if we want our tax dollars invested in the people and services that make our state strong. At the same time, we encourage the Governor and the Legislature to ensure the final budget includes additional progressive revenue raisers that require the wealthiest among us, as well as powerful corporations, to contribute their fair share.” About the Communications Workers of America, District 1: CWA District 1 represents 145,000 workers in New Jersey, New York, and New England, including 70,000 workers in New Jersey. CWA members work in public service, telecommunications, healthcare, higher education, manufacturing, broadcast and cable television, commercial printing and newspapers, and more. |
