New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie pulled off something of a miracle this week — pushing through a package of pension and benefits cuts for government employees that will save the state $130 billion over the next 30 years.
And he did it as the Republican governor of a blue state where Democrats run the House and Senate — and where unions have long run the Dems.
The changes are remarkable:
* Public employees will pay more for health-care insurance and pensions (still below private-sector rates, of course).
* Cost-of-living adjustments are abolished, and the agreement raises the retirement age for new hires.
* Unions lose collective-bargaining rights for benefits — the rules will be imposed through legislation instead.
A state union chief charged that “this bill is nothing less than Chris Christie’s frontal assault on organized labor.”
Not a moment too soon.
Jersey pols have spent decades puckering up to labor by promising billions in benefits without finding a way to pay.
The result: About $120 billion in unfunded pension and benefits liabilities — the largest such tab in the US.
Christie’s reform won’t fill that entire hole, but will help avert disasters down the road. And he got help from top Democrats in the Legislature, including Senate Majority Leader Steve Sweeney, who’s a union boss in his day job.
The result is a compromise, to become law next week, that spares taxpayers from shouldering an unbearable burden.
This is what happens when you govern with your eyes open. Kudos to Christie, once again.