JUST WHAT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 29
Polkowitz has been on tour visiting NJ Retired Police and Fire
Association Local meetings throughout the state and getting
rave reviews. State President Joe Valdora invited him to speak to
Mercer County Local 12 members, who also gave him a stand-
ing ovation.
Middlesex/Monmouth County Local 9 endorsed Polkowitz
for PFRS Trustee, just like Local 3. They have all seen that Pol-
kowitz has the most impressive record of any candidate run-
ning in this election.
“Local 9 thinks Bruce Polkowitz is the most qualified per-
son for this position,” President Mike Burns asserts. “He came
across as the person who would represent the best interests of
the retired police and fire members because of his credentials.”
Polkowitz’s credentials—going back to his days as a State Del-
egate for Edison Township Local 75 and president of the Edi-
son Township Superior Officers Association—make him born
to run for PFRS Trustee. He has also had those successful runs
as mayor of Franklin Township in Hunterdon County and pres-
ident of the Edison Township School Board.
Farrell noted that Polkowitz’s experience managing money in
those positions impressed his members. But there is a common
denominator in all of his leadership forays that makes Polkow-
itz more than a one-hit wonder.
“During the course of my career, I have made a commitment
to the community I serve to make that environment where I live
better,” he explains. “The environment where I live now is with
retired members of PFRS.”
The command performance requested of Polkowitz at every
venue he has played on his campaign tour is about COLA. He
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■ DECEMBER 2018
has not answered with that same old song of “I will bring back
your COLA” that some trustee candidates reportedly are sing-
ing.
He has been hit with many ideas about how to bring back
COLA, and Polkowitz confirms that there are many good ideas.
He is not committing to one way; only to bring it back in a fair
and equitable manner when the time is right.
But before that can even be entertained, Polkowitz prioritizes
an objective that led to the creation of the new, independent
PFRS to be governed by a new board of trustees.
“Before we address COLA, we have to make sure the pension
system is solvent. That’s the first objective for this board in the
new system,” Polkowitz reasons. “We’re not going to quit until
we meet that goal, and the trustees who we entrust this to have
to bring a passion to the job.”
After staying to answer the last of myriad questions from NJ
Retired Police and Fire Association Local 12 members in Mer-
cer County, Polkowitz spent some time rereading Chapter 55,
the new law establishing the independent PFRS that Gover-
nor Murphy signed in July. He continues to highlight sections
of Chapter 55 and share those highlights with retirees as a re-
inforcement that the right man for this job is somebody who
would take the time to study the law rather than somebody
who has never believed in the new system and actually fought
against it.
“Even though he has won many elections, Bruce did not
come across as a politician when he spoke to our members,”
Burns notes. “We saw him as a guy who is sincere and will be
devoted to representing retired law enforcement officers and
firefighters.”