MORRIS COUNTY — Senate Republican Leader Anthony M. Bucco (R-25) issued the following statement in response to recent news that AON, the state’s actuary, endorsed Governor Murphy’s plan to significantly increase health insurance premium costs for New Jersey state workers:
“Senate Republicans have been warning about this looming crisis for years and unfortunately those warnings were ignored,” said Sen. Bucco. “Then just weeks ago, we called for the Legislature to reconvene and form a bipartisan, bicameral committee to understand the root cause and develop real solutions. That call was ignored too. Now, instead of innovation, leadership, or reform to address the problem, the Murphy administration’s hand-picked actuary is moving forward with forcing state workers to shoulder the burden for the Democrats’ failures.”
Earlier this month, Sen. Bucco called for a legislative session to pass SCR-61, which would create the bipartisan New Jersey Public Employee Health Care Program Costs Investigation Committee. The proposed committee would scrutinize the looming 37% premium increase in the State Health Benefits Program that threatens to blow holes in municipal and school budgets and push property taxes even higher.
“It’s honestly just shameful. Over the last two years, Democrats in Trenton have spent over $1 billion on last-minute pork projects, yet when it comes time to support our dedicated public servants, there’s suddenly no money and no will to act. This is not fiscal responsibility, it’s fiscal malfeasance and our public workers deserve better,” Bucco concluded.
