Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto (D-32) says that although the New Jersey Supreme Court has reversed a lower court decision, now allowing Gov. Chris Christie to cut billions of dollars in contributions towards the state’s pension funding system, nothing has changed in the Democrats approach to the situation.Â
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“The ruling changes nothing. We’ve always intended to fully fund our obligations, just as we did last year. Democrats will choose the path of responsibility,“ Prieto said in a prepared statement.
“The governor chose last year to be fiscally irresponsible and to further weaken our economy. For the sake of New Jersey’s taxpayers and its economy, I hope he chooses a different course this year.â€
Mercer County Superior Court Judge Mary Jacobson ruled in February that Christie would have to work with the Legislature to find a way to make $1.57 billion worth of pension payments by the end of this month (per NJ Spotlight).
However, today the state Supreme Court reversed the decision by a 5-2 ruling.
Christie has also released a statement on the ruling moments ago, exclaiming:
“This decision is an important victory not only for out taxpayers who simply cannot afford these unsustainably high costs, but for limited, constitutional government that recognizes the proper role of the executive and legislative branches of government.”