As poker players say, Chris Christie has . . .
September 27, 2010
He wants to raise the normal retirement age for teachers and most state and municipal workers to 65, requiring 30 years service for early retirement instead of 25. Police would have to work 30 years for full retirement, but could retire early with reduced benefits.
He also wants public employees to:
* Contribute 8.5 percent of their salaries toward their pensions.
* Start paying 30 percent of the cost of their health premiums.
* Accept the rollback of a 9 percent raise in pension benefits granted in 2001 -- an increase he admits was put into place by Republicans, who "shouldn't have done it in the first place."