New Jersey police unions have sued the state government to force it to make planned payments to the pension systems.
The State Troopers Fraternal Association of New Jersey, the State Troopers Non-Commissioned Officers Association of New Jersey, and the State Troopers Superior Officers Association of New Jersey filed suit in Mercer County Superior Court, said Stephen Sternick, president of the third union.
The suit names Gov. Chris Christie, state Treasurer Andrew Sidamon-Eristoff, the New Jersey Assembly and the New Jersey Senate, Sternik said.
The law firm Loccke, Corriea, Linsky, & Bukosky of Hackensack is representing the unions.
The suit seeks to force the government to stick to the 2011 agreement where it would ramp-up contributions to the state's pension system, Sternik said. The agreement would have had the state contribute $1.58 billion this year to the system.
Instead, the governor says New Jersey will contribute $696 million, or $884 million less.
Christie is also seeking to cut the planned $1.57 billion contribution to the pension system from the fiscal year 2015 budget.
The lawsuit comes after all three ratings agencies downgraded New Jersey to A-plus or the equivalent this spring. Standard & Poor's has the state on credit watch negative while the other two agencies have negative outlooks on the rating.
They all pointed to the state's underfunded pension system as among their chief concerns about New Jersey's credit.
