Hypocritical State Legislator (pt. 1)

The pic shown here is of N.J. State Senator Stephen Sweeney. A Democrat (depressingly enough) who is making a name for himself by attacking state workers in the state of N.J. I just wanted to offer a couple of quick facts about this "champion of the regular folks", this crusader for the regular folk, promising to solve the property tax issues that have plagued this state for many years. His solution, of course, is to hammer the state employees.

"State unions have pointed out that Sweeney's multiple public and private sector jobs add up to much more than the salaries of the vast majority of their members. Sweeney makes $123,000 at Local 399, according to its federal disclosure form, as well as $49,000 as a state senator. Sweeney told the Philadelphia Inquirer that he donates his $18,000 salary as Freeholder Director of Gloucester County to charity and would like to take only one public pension, but can't. All told, Sweeney's income from these multiple sources appears to place him at an almost 4 to 1 advantage over the typical state worker's compensation (amounting to about $50,000) which he seeks to cut." (From the Wikipedia entry for Mr. Sweeney)

So his 3 public pensions and 190,000 dollar salary has led him to point the finger of blame at those who deserve it; the social workers and human service employees who help those in the state most in need. Damn those people and their attempts to assist low income families in need, people with disabilities in desperate need of shelter, health care, and a host of other needs, from the most basic (eating) to attempts at improving the quality of life by finding employment opportunites for this underserved population. Damned those DYFYS workers trying to protect vulnerable children.

Sadly, I rarely read anything in the states largest newspaper (Star ledger) defending the worker. Instead, Sweeney sycophants like Tom Moran and Paul Mulshine continue to point the finger at the rank and file, never questioning the hypocrisy of legislators like Sweeney. Unbelievable.