cliffviewpilot.com - After eating dinner in the woods of Connecticut where myself and many NJ firefighters give a week every summer at a camp for childhood burn survivors I was quickly sickened after watching Governor Christie’s latest Hollywood video.

This Governor’s constant attacks on the men and woman who perform their duty day in and day out protecting the citizens of NJ must stop.

The people of New Jersey deserve the truth, our pension system does work. It is sustainable, and public safety personnel are NOT the cause of the current pension situation.

This video suggests more pain and sacrifice from our members.

I say: No, Chris Christie!

Firefighters have lived up to our end of your deal. We have been paying 10% of our salaries towards our pension. Our retired members have not received cost of living adjustments and our newest members have had their benefits reduced since you signed the bill that you said was necessary to “save our pension.”

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PUBLISHER’S NOTE: Posted yesterday morning by Christie’s media team, the “No Pain, No Gain” movie trailer parody — with theater-styled narration, explosions and quick cuts — was removed last night after the governor’s office said representatives for Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson complained about a clip used from his movie “The Rundown.” “And for you trolls out there: We know, the book was better,” Christie tweeted, with a link to the budget he proposed in February:

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What’s necessary to save our pension is to keep the monies in the system and live up to your end of the deal.

When our pension contributions were increased from 8.5% to 10% by this reform, the added monies WE paid in was again removed from the system by this Governor’s administration.

Governor Christie continues the failed practices of what countless Governors before him did. Simple math will show that the system will suffer if you continue to raid it.

There are a couple hard facts that NJ residents should be aware of. Municipal public safety personnel salaries, pension, and benefits are paid by the respective municipality, not by the State. The municipal public safety portion is not a large enough part of the tax base to realize substantial savings by further reducing benefits. It is merely this Governor’s constant portrayal of public employees as the problem.

We are the same men and woman who NJ residents held a greater opinion of before Chris Christie. We have worked harder with less under Chris Christie. We have shared in the sacrifice financially — all while NEVER wavering from our duty and commitment to protect and serve the citizens of NJ.

We are taxpayers, and share in the frustration of most NJ residents with our current property taxes. We need a Governor that is willing to come to the table and work together for NJ, not put our issues in the national spotlight for his personal gain.

NJ is stronger than Chris Christie!

Eddie Donnelly / NJFMBA

Eddie Donnelly is President of the NJ Firefighters Mutual Benevolent Association representing more than 5,000 active and retired career firefighters, EMTs and dispatchers.