7 5 ¢ / F R I D AY, J A N U A R Y 1 6 , 2 0 1 5 A F F I L I AT E D W I T H Take a toddler to see Paddington’s big-screen debut. IN GOOD TIMES NEW JERSEY Lawyer: State not bound by pension law Assistant Attorney General Jean Reilly says 2011 law is unconstitutional when it requires Gov. Chris Christie to make payments into the troubled New Jersey fund. By Samantha Marcus NJ Advance Media for Times of Trenton New Jersey’s highly touted 2011 pension law is unconstitutional when it commits Gov. Chris Christie to make a full payment into the troubled pension system, but not when it comes to concessions that public workers agreed to in exchange, an attorney for the state said Thursday. Assistant Attorney General Jean Reilly told a Superior Court judge that the Legislature can change workers’ contributions or suspend cost of living adjustments — two crucial pieces of the overhaul — but that doesn’t mean the state has to make the payment into the system as spelled out in the law. “They’re not irrevocably bound together,” Reilly said near the end of a five-hour hearing as a dozen unions try to force the governor to make the state’s entire contribution this fiscal year. The statement later prompted Judge Mary Jacobson to ask: “When the state’s not holding up its end of the bargain, (how can you) expect the individual employees to hold up theirs?” Reilly said the state budget trumps all laws and cuts can be made to the pension system in tough economic times. The point was crucial to the billion-dollar showdown between union lawyers and the Republican governor over an issue that has dominated Trenton since Christie took office. Jacobson did not issue a ruling on Thursday or say when it could be expected, but the decision could determine the future of the SEE PENSION, PAGE A5 STATE OF THE COUNTY / 2015 NFL Spagnuolo returns to Giants The Giants are bringing back Steve Spagnuolo as their defensive coordinator. Spagnuolo was hired on Thursday, returning to the team he helped win the 2007 Super Bowl. / Page B1 EYES ON THE SKY Mercer Executive Brian Hughes promises additional improvements to the airport, which he predicts will have a huge regional return on investment. BURLINGTON CITY St. Paul School hits goal, stays open By Mike Davis Times of Trenton With a deadline determining its fate just hours away, donations to St. Paul School crossed the finish line and ensured it will open its doors in September. School officials on Thursday announced that the Catholic school has raised nearly $260,000 and will remain open for the 2015-16 school year after a feverish six-week fundraising campaign launched in December. “Everybody’s very, very happy. We’re ready to pick it up,” Principal Bill Robbins said Thursday morning. “We’re really ready to move on and, with all the commitment here in the community and among the parents and kids, we really know we’re going to be successful.” Robbins, staff members and volunteers counted last-minute donations late into the night Wednesday. A phone message went out to families, and students stood and cheered at an assembly Thursday morning where Robbins shared the news. “All of us slept a little better last night,” PTA co-president Kerri Chewning said. “People are ecstatic. We’re absolutely thrilled. We’re off and running.” In December, the Diocese of Trenton announced that St. Katharine Drexel Parish could no longer afford to fund the 144-yearold school and gave supporters a Jan. 15 deadline to raise enough money to keep the school open. Throughout December and into January, the school hosted several big and small fundraisers, including an Ugly Sweater Dance-a-thon and a beef-and-beer dinner last week that morphed into an alumni reunion. The school needed to raise $250,000 to ensure beyond a doubt that it would remain open next year. The total will probably be around $260,000, including matching donations from Mercer County Executive Brian Hughes says the county will replace Trenton-Mercer Airport’s passenger terminal, in his State of the County address at the Hyatt Regency Princeton in West Windsor on Thursday. Below, attendees mingle in the Hyatt lobby. (PHOTOS BY MICHAEL MANCUSO/TIMES OF TRENTON) By James McEvoy / Times of Trenton E xpressing a commitment to continue to build on what he called a monumental turnaround at Trenton-Mercer Airport, County Executive Brian Hughes said Thursday the county will move forward with plans to replace the facility’s 48-year-old passenger terminal. “I want to ensure that our airport is prepared to take advantage of future opportunities and the economic impact that could result. The return on investment for our region will be huge,” Hughes said during his annual State of the County address. Address highlights JOBS: Unemployment rate was 5.1 percent in October, below the state rate of 6.6 percent. ECONOMY: Increased tourism throughout the county and increased revenue from Trenton-Mercer Airport. LAND: Total value of properties in the county expected to increase in 2015. GOVERNMENT: County government’s fiscal discipline saw job reduction of 200 full-time positions. AID: County outreach to cut homelessness and increase public safety. CONSTRUCTION: Infrastructure improvements like the Bear Tavern Road Bridge over Jacobs Creek. SEE ST. PAUL, PAGE A5 Today’s Weather Partly sunny and windy during the day. Mainly clear skies throughout the night. High: 38° Low: 15° / Forecast, Page A2 Index Community / A2 Lotteries / A2 Local / A3 Nation / A4 Obituaries / A6 Editorial / A8 Like recent terminal improvements and new parking lots, Hughes said airport revenue would ultimately help finance future improvements without county tax dollars. Hughes also told the 500 local officials and business leaders at the event, hosted by the MidJersey Chamber of Commerce at the Hyatt Regency Princeton in West Windsor, that he will seek a fourth term as county executive. “My aim is to make Mercer County even greater,” Hughes said, citing a desire to follow through on dropping unemployment and increased economic development. He acknowledged the air travel Op-Ed / A9 Sports / B1 Scoreboard / B6 Business / B7 Comics / B8 Advice / B9 industry “is always in flux” in light of Frontier Airlines’ announcement last week it would discontinue service to five destinations out of Trenton. Despite this, Hughes reiterated his confidence in the airline, which, he said, “is poised for expansion in our region.” Hughes touted 2014 as a landmark year for the county, which saw its park facilities host some of the Special Olympics’ national games. Hughes said the event would help build on prior success of the local tourism industry that saw visitors spend $1.9 billion in the region in 2013. Puzzles / B9 Good Times / G1 Movies / G6 SEE COUNTY, PAGE A5 =0+3+5+b+f