If you work in New Jersey and your job deducts for UNEMPLOYMENT AND DISABILITY INSURANCE from your paycheck, you will want to vote YES on this public question.
A YES vote will change the state constitution to prevent raiding of the UNEMPLOYMENT AND DISABILITY INSURANCE FUNDS for any purpose other than that to which they are dedicated.
Reason?
State legislators and governors (the 'thieving magpies' of my headline) have been dipping into the fund for years -- 22 times since 1993, to the tune of $5.4 BILLION -- to divert the monies collected to OTHER USES, according to the NJ League of Women Voters (see here).
The confusion arises, as usual, from the so-called 'interpretive statement' which, clocking in at more than 100 words, does little to clarify the question.
Because no one ever believed unemployment would reach 10%, as it did earlier this year, the raids left the fund vulnerable, accounting for its running out of money earlier this year. Employers have since been assessed and extra $130 per worker to pump up the fund.
This amendment, jointly sponsored by Democratic and Republican legislators, would mean the funds would be statutorily beyond the temptation to spend them for other, short-term needs.
Makes sense to me, and I'm voting for it.
How about you?
- Division of Elections: "2010 General Election Public Question"
- Gannett: "Statewide ballot question causes confusion"
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1 comments:
it is so CRAZY to have to pass a law to stop the legislature from stealing!!
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