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The union representing New Jersey teachers has told Democratic Party leaders that it will not make any campaign contributions this year until the Senate votes on a constitutional amendment requiring that the state make quarterly payments to the public employee pension fund, a top Democratic official confirmed Tuesday.

John Currie, chairman of the New Jersey Democratic Party, said Wendell Steinhauer called him Monday night to deliver the unions position. The story was first reported in Politico New Jersey.

Union officials could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Currie, who is also Passaic County Democratic chairman, said the union had called several Democratic County chairs to say that the unions contributions will cease unless the Democratic-controlled Senate puts the pension amendment up for a vote.

I probably got the call first, Currie said. Theyre just frustrated with the Senate president, Stephen Sweeney.

The call from Steinhauer came after union members unleashed a chorus of boos from the visitors gallery after the Senate concluded a voting session without taking action on the pension amendment.

Sweeney who co-sponsored the pension amendment said he delayed the vote until the Legislature can resolve an impasse with Governor Christie over how to fund the states dwindling Transportation Trust Fund.

I am the primary sponsor of the pension amendment, as I was in 2011, Sweeney said in a prepared statement Monday. There is no one in the State House who has done more to bring this plan closer to completion than I have.

However, I have not fought this hard, only to see its passage jeopardized, he added. Decisions about the states finances cannot be made in a vacuum. Until there is a rational resolution to the transportation funding crisis, passage of the pension amendment by the voters remains unlikely.

Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto, D-Secaucus, have agreed on a plan to replenish the transportation trust fund with a 23-cents-per-gallon increase in the gas tax. Their plan also calls for phasing out the estate tax.

Christie said he was willing to support the gas tax increase, but only if the Democratic-controlled Legislature agreed to lower the state sales tax to 6 percent from 7 percent.

At a State House news conference Tuesday, Christie said he had spoken to both Sweeney and Prieto and was open to negotiating with them.

But at another news conference later in the day, Sweeney sounded less optimistic.

Were working to try to get it done, Sweeney said. Its important to get it done. Im not hopeful. I just dont see a pathway at this point.

The Legislature is facing a deadline. Unless the Senate passes the pension amendment by next week, it will not be ready in time to appear on the ballot in November.

Currie said he wanted more time to study the situation.

I want to get all the facts before I make a statement, Currie said. I would love to see the pension fully funded.

Email: ensslin@northjersey.com

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