February 7, 2008

Dear Resident,

I appreciate hearing from you regarding Paid Family Leave Insurance and knowing of your support for such legislation.  As you know, S-786 would extend temporary disability insurance to provide family leave benefits for a host of reasons.  I understand you are disappointed that it did not pass during the 2006 – 2007 legislative session; however, I remain opposed to it for the reasons outlined below. 

I believe in the concept and have supported it years ago, but as I have maintained, this is not the time to add more programs to state government when we have a $3 billion deficit.  We cannot afford to pay for current programs and our schools are facing cuts in state aid; therefore, it does not make good fiscal sense to add additional programs.  As it is written, the bill requires an additional "tax" on all workers while only some can afford to take advantage of Family Leave. If participation in the family leave program were voluntary and not mandatory, I would support it.  The people of New Jersey are overtaxed as it is, however, and based upon the telephone calls that I receive many of my constituents cannot afford to take home less money.  Moreover, it is important to note that this bill does not call for 100% paid leave; it is only 2/3 of an employee’s salary.  If workers in my district cannot make ends meet bringing home 100% of their paycheck, bringing home only 66% of their salary will not make it easier to stay afloat.  The cost of gasoline, rent, utilities, and taxes have increased, but it seems that paychecks have not.  Most recently, it appears we are in for a stifling toll hike on our major roadways, and I believe the people of New Jersey have had enough.  Each day, my office receives calls from people residing in my legislative district who cannot keep up with the cost of living in our State.  Temporary Disability Insurance Fund, as you may already be aware, has been raided numerous times over the past 15 years to help balance the state budget.  I believe it is unfair to ask workers to pay into a fund that has been used as a piggy bank by several administrations. Finally, I have received correspondence from many small businesses in the area, and I am concerned that they cannot sustain the cost and time of hiring and training replacement workers during a time when business are leaving the state and laying off workers.  For these reasons, I cannot support such a bill at this time.  I voted against its release when this bill was presented to me in the Senate Budget & Appropriations Committee. 

Thank you again for informing me of your position on this matter.  While we disagree, I am pleased that we can have a respectful exchange of ideas regarding Paid Family Leave.  If you have additional comments or concerns, you are welcome to contact me at any time.

Sincerely,

 

Shirley K. Turner

Senate – District 15

SKT: aem

Dear Senator Turner,

 

You have some very serious flaws in your assessment of the impact of S-786 as you have detailed in your email to me.

 

Of course the payment is only 2/3rds of the person's salary.  That is because it is UNTAXED.  when compared to 100% of TAXED salary, the 2 amounts are virtually equal.  There would be no real loss of SPENDABLE, TAKE-HOME PAY.  Additionally, under the current system, they do not get 100% of their pay....nor do they get 2/3rds of their pay.  THEY GET ZERO, NOTHING, NADA, "0," and ZILCH!  How can you even state that as a legitimate reason to not support the bill and do it with a clear conscience and a straight face??!!

 

And let's be serious.  The state rolled over $1.7 BILLION dollars from FY 2006 into FY 2007's budget, and then $1.9 BILLION from FY 2007 into FY 2008's budget!   There was no deficit!  And there IS no REAL deficit.  Just because there is a budget deficit on paper doesn't make it real.  We both know that the exclusion of FEDERAL monies due to the staggered start of their Fiscal Year (October 1st) as compared with ours (July 1st), is merely an accounting computation that makes it look as though there is a deficit. 

 

Additionally, had you even bothered to READ the bill, you would take note that this would not cost the state a single penny.  Just like the TDI pool, it will operate in a SURPLUS and be self sufficient.  And the cost to those poorer families who will be the ones paying????  Literally 14 cents a day!  READ the bill before you vote against it next time!

 

As for the small businesses claiming they cannot pay to train replacement workers???   Again, READ THE BILL!!!!  this does not grant anyone ADDITIONAL LEAVE TIME....IT IS THE LEAVE TIME THAT THEY ARE ALREADY GIVEN!!!   What is DOES is PAY people for their time off!  Whether this bill passes or not, these people have a statutory right to 12 weeks of Family Leave every 2 years in NJ and every 1 year under the Federal FMLA.  This bill would only provide MONEY to those same people who would be out ANYWAY with the birth of child, etc.  It would be ABSOLUTELY NEUTRAL to businesses....small, medium or large!! 

 

Come on Senator....DO YOUR HOMEWORK!

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We want to thank our reader for sharing this communication with us.  So much for our leader's "friends!"