The Commission examined certain aspects of public employee pension and benefit programs and found abuse, manipulation and excessive expenditures that cost New Jersey taxpayers substantial sums of money every year. Questionable practices were detected in every region of the state, among municipalities, school districts, community colleges and independent authorities. Underlying the abuses, the Commission found a system lacking in adequate oversight and accountability and a loophole-ridden statutory framework that licenses potentially inappropriate conduct by public officials. In response, the State Division of Pension and Benefits launched a series of inquiries to determine the proper course of action, including pension adjustments and recovery of overpayments, in connection with each case detailed in the report. The Commission also called for a series of legislative and regulatory reforms.
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