MORRIS COUNTY — Last week, former Director of State Pensions Fred Beaver confirmed in the Daily Record that of the two candidates for Morris County Sheriff, only John Sierchio has a plan that will result in actual savings for taxpayers. Sierchio called upon fellow candidate James Gannon to sign on to his plan and join him in pledging to accept only the minimum Sheriff’s salary required by law.
“In my first three years as Sheriff, my plan will save Morris County taxpayers $141,000, while Mr. Gannon’s plan will save $0,” said Sierchio, whose candidacy has been endorsed by retiring Morris County Sheriff Ed Rochford. “As the fiscal conservative in this campaign, I’m calling upon Mr. Gannon to join me in putting tax dollars back into the hands of our county’s residents by pledging to accept only the minimum Sheriff’s salary.”
The Daily Record compared the plans of John Sierchio and James Gannon. Upon being elected, Sierchio pledged to accept only the minimum Sheriff’s salary of $113,000, as required by law. Conversely, Gannon will “accept a sheriff’s salary that the Morris County freeholders deem appropriate” – which could be as high as $160,000 – and plans to freeze his state pension.
“Listen to the former Director of State Pensions: Mr. Gannon’s plan will not save any tax dollars,” said Sierchio, who served as Chairman of the state’s Police and Fireman’s Retirement System. “Morris County residents deserve a Sheriff who fights everyday to save tax dollars, cut unnecessary spending, and do more with less, and that’s why I’m asking Mr. Gannon to sign on to my plan.”
Last week’s Daily Record reported that Fred Beaver, who served as Director of State Pensions and Benefits for eight years, agreed with Sierchio’s assertion that only his plan would save taxpayer dollars: “Fred Beaver, a past director of the state Division of Pension and Benefits, agreed with Sierchio that a candidate’s freezing of a pension would result in no savings to taxpayers because his pension already has been funded, with contributions no longer being given by the governmental employer.”
John Sierchio served 27 years in the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, the Essex County Police Department, and as Detective Sergeant on the Bloomfield Police Department. John served as Chairman of the state’s Police and Fireman’s Retirement System, where he was called a “crusader” by the Star-Ledger for saving millions of dollars for taxpayers by exposing fraudulent pension claims. John is a Member of the Boonton Township Board of Education and is a Life Member of the National Rifle Association.
