Hopatcong Leaders Mixed on Pension, Health Care Reform

Two Hopatcong leaders said they had mixed feelings about the State Senate's passage of a bill Monday aimed at

The bill, which passed 24-15 and must get through the Assembly before landing on Gov. Chris Christie's desk, makes various changes to how public employee retirment systems operate and to the benefit provisions of those systems.

School Superintendent Dr. Charles Maranzano said he was disappointed in the state's failure to make full required health care and pension payments and Christie's portrayal of teachers, but he understood change was "inevitable."

"I'm a realist," Maranzano said. "If anything, I'm upset that the state failed to meet its [health care and pension payment] obligations over the years and that teachers have been villianized in this process. I don't think that's fair. But when you look at balance, we do want a system that's going to survive over the next few decades. We have to pay a little more so this system remains viable.

"I empathize with the taxpayers. But don't forget that teachers are taxpayers, too."

Police Chief John Swanson offered a simple conclusion: "It is what it is," he said.

"The legislators had to make some very difficult choices and nobody is immune from changes," he continued. "There's not too much you can say because there are so many different factors that created the current circumstances. What else can you say? We've found ourselves in very difficult times. Hard choices have to be made, and we'll all have to just make adjustments."

A call to Mayor Sylvia Petillo wasn't immediately returned.