Editorial Endorses Christie Crackdown On Payouts

The Times of Trenton has offered a strong editorial embracing New Jersey Governor Chris Christie's views on jackpot sick leave and vacation payouts for state employees and urging state legislators to act prmptly on his reform proposals.
Here are excerpts:

Gov. Chris Christie declared that the end to massive sick time payouts to New Jersey public employees is near. With municipalities throughout the state facing a potential sick time liability estimated at $825 million, the end to this unnecessary perk can’t come soon enough. . . .
Christie has stood firm in his pledge to end cash payouts to state workers for unused sick time. In December, he conditionally vetoed a bill that would have capped sick time payouts at $15,000. Legislators came back with a proposal for half that amount. But Christie vowed to reject any deal that allows for payouts going forward. . . . The sick time payout bills have grown so cumbersome that a few towns have had to take out loans to cover the costs.
But at least there’s an end in sight if Christie gets his way. 

Christie wants to phase out the payouts completely going forward.. . .
The real problem is that sick time should never have been treated as a bank or some ill-fated retirement bonus. Forget the caps. End the sick time payouts now. The health of local municipal budgets depends on it. . . .

View the entire editorial here.