NJ Teachers Union Cuts Off Democratic Party Over Pension Funding Amendment

A Democratic Party official confirmed this week that the union representing teachers in New Jersey will not make any cash donations to the party until the Senate votes for a proposed constitutional amendment requiring the state to make full, quarterly payments to its public pension fund.

According to NJ.com:

County Democratic Party leaders won’t be able to count on New Jersey’s largest teachers union for political contributions this year because state lawmakers haven’t acted to put a constitutional amendment on state pension payments on the fall ballot.

Three county chairman told NJ Advance Media they received calls from a New Jersey Education Association lobbyist informing them the powerful union would be withholding campaign contributions until next spring out of frustration with stalled legislative action on the proposed public pension constitutional amendment.

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The constitutional amendment would require the state increase payments into the government worker pension fund. It must be approved by the voters in a public referendum. But Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester) has so far declined to hold a vote on the referendum for a vote in the upper chamber until lawmakers resolve a transportation funding impasse.

The potentially steep price tag of a deal to fund the Transportation Trust Fund could jeopardize funding for the pension amendment, Sweeney has said. He was booed by public workers Monday when he adjourned a Senate session without holding a vote on the referendum.

The Assembly has already passed the measure.