Christie Launches Pension Attack At Teacher's Memorial Park

Governor Chris Christie came to Long Beach Island to fire the first round in his assault on public union pensions just steps from where union member volunteers had recently built a memorial playground for one of the teachers massacred in the Sandy Hook, CN school shooting.
Dubbed by Christie as the “No Pain, No Gain” summer tour, to the nearly 300 police, firefighters, teachers and their supporters who waited hours in the hot summer sun and then stood in silent protest it was more like an adding insult to injury event.
“It is unconscionable that the Governor would choose this venue to launch an attack against us,” said New Jersey New Jersey State Firefighters Mutual Benevolent Association (NJFMBA) president Eddie Donnelly.
The playground in Brant Beach’s Bayview Park was named after Lauren Russo, a Connecticut school teacher killed in the 2012 shooting. It was funded and constructed by police, firefighters and teacher volunteers under the direction of the Sandy Ground Project. (http://www.thesandygroundproject.org/).
It is one of 26, one for each shooting victim being constructed in the Tri-State area. The Sandy Ground Project is spearheaded by the NJFMBA, the state Policemen’s Benevolent Association (NJPBA) and New Jersey Teachers Association (NJEA) unions.
The FMBA, PBA, NJEA, New Jersey Professional Firefighters Association (NJPFA), and local leaders had all requested that Christie move the event, all to no avail.
“We aren’t here to fight with the Governor right now, but to let the public know we are the good guys. We represent the people of New Jersey, not him,” added Donnelly.
NJPBA president Patrick Colligan reiterated that intention as he address those gathered. “We are going to stand in silent protest. We are going to respect the memory of Lauren and every other public service person who has given their lives to protect the public,” said Colligan.  
The rank and file and their supporters followed their leaders’ instructions as Christie arrived and nearly immediately lauched his assault saying that union pensions would be responsible for bankrupting New Jersey turning it into another Detroit and the unions needed to accept their responsibility for that inevitability.
He went on to say union members were “promised something for nothing (by previous administrations) and now they want it.”
Colligan later said, this was not the time to debate failed policy, broken promises or the Governor’s violation of the law he signed requiring his pension payment.
 “I’m glad now he decided to come here, I think his decision will mark the end of his political career,” said Colligan.