NJ-10’s Flora Holds his Applause for New Agreement by Sweeney & NJEA Boss Blistan

Democratic Primary Congressional Candidate John Flora (NJ-10) has been a dues-paying member of the New Jersey Education Association for 16 years (and counting). The Jersey City educator cautions both New Jersey residents and his fellow dues-paying NJEA members to hold their applause for a deal struck to save $1 billion by making changes to the existing health benefits program.

“We’ve already survived a property tax-reducing measure supported by State Senator Stephen Sweeney and then-Governor Chris Christie,” said Flora referring to Chapter 78, a package of laws requiring public sector workers to pay for health benefits. “That deal was fueled by the hatred these two leaders had for our membership. Nearly a decade later, the only thing that was reduced by Chapter 78 was our paychecks. The reduction of state property taxes was a myth. I will wait and see if this new agreement has similar success.”

This time NJEA President Marie Blistan joined the negotiations to try to provide relief from Chapter 78 for her members. Both Sweeney and Blistan smiled for cameras at the press conference announcing the agreement of new proposed changes. But the details they revealed remain vague.

“Instead of using a percentage of the premium costs to tabulate the contribution, employees will have the option to have those contributions based on salary,” explained Flora. “But we must change to their ‘new plans’ which are a mystery at this point.”

In an expanding for-profit health insurance system, employees get what they pay for. New lower-cost health care programs are really not cost-reducing at all. Plans with high deductibles or limited services that are considered ‘low-cost’ shift the cost from premium to services.

The father of two young children is running in the June 2 Democratic primary against an incumbent who also supports Medicare for All, a historic measure which would reduce property taxes because school districts would no longer have to pay for health care. Flora also agrees with the campaign promise made by Bernie Sanders that no teacher should make less than $60,000.

“The New Jersey taxpayer and NJEA member could use a real solution to reduce property taxes,” said Flora, “but not at the cost of chipping away at benefits that state employees depend on. Nobody goes into teaching to make a million dollars. But we did think we would at least make a living wage with affordable benefits. Don’t we deserve at least that?”