Should NJ police and firefighters be able to live where they want? – Poll

First they lose the pension payment, now the state is apparently going after the homes of police and firefighters. There is a bill on Governor Christie’s desk that would require all police and firemen to live in the towns they serve for the first five years on the job. I ask why?

My father Albert, my uncle Nick, my cousin Dave, my best friend, Captain Robert Pisani from the North Hudson fire Dept were, or currently are on the job. These men put their lives on the line to make sure that yours is not threatened. Now there’s a bill making its way that could force both police and firefighters to live in the towns they they work in.

The bill (A4265) would allow towns to adopt ordinances that would require newly hired police and firefighters to live in the town that they work in for the first 5 years of employment. They would have 6 months to move in from the day that they are hired.

When I was growing up in Union City, my father worked at the fire house on 16^th and New York Ave. Once they passed the bill allowing them to move out of town, we went to Marlboro. My father stayed on the job there another 10 years and never once was it a problem.

I think we can all remember back when our police and firefighters lived in our towns. They were our basketball coaches, our friends in church, the ones we met in restaurants. They were a large part of our community. That's changed," said state Sen. Richard Codey (D-Essex), the bill's sponsor.

I would answer that by saying the time spent on the job and in the community more than makes up for the time that they are home, wherever that may be.  Where do you work? How much time do you spend out in the street and involved in your town?

It can be dangerous in these troubled times for a police officer and their family to live in town. As far as I’m concerned, as long as they get the job done when we need them, they can live wherever they want. What do you think?

Here are some average home prices by towns in New Jersey. How many of these homes are affordable when you're being paid $50-60K?  The number in parentheses is the national ranking of the town.

• Chatham (22): $892,488.89
• Bernards (34): $832,877.78
• Madison (45): $777,490
• Mountain Lakes (59): $724,490
• West Windsor (62): $722,911.84
• Livingston (63): $720,786.96
• Westfield (64): $720,221.13
• Warren (66) $718,909.09
• Alexandria (67) $712,433.33
• Woodcliff Lake (83): $678,623.38
• Wyckoff (85): $671,380
• Holmdel (90): $662,046.15
• Ridgewood (93): $654,735.71
• Long Hill (100): $636,491.67

First the state goes after the pensions of police and firefighters. Now the state is attempting to tell them where they can and can't live.  What legislator has the right to tell any employee where they can and can’t live? What's your opinion on the bill? cast your vote below.