Gloucester Township School, Township Officials Among Those Collecting Over $100K in Pensions

Former Black Horse Pike Regional School District official Ralph Ross, former Gloucester Township School District officials Thomas Seddon and Robert Suessmith, and former township official Edward S. Smith are among former school district and government officials in New Jersey who receive pensions of over $100,000 annually, according to a New Jersey Watchdog report.

Ross receives $143,028 annually, which breaks down to $11,919 a month.

Seddon’s pension is worth $125,329 annually. He makes $10,444 a month.

Suessmith rakes in $109,030 annually. He brings home $9,086 a month.

Smith makes $101,385 a year and $8,449 a month.

New Jersey’s so-called '$100K Club' of retired public officials has ballooned by 75 percent in the last three years, the group said this week following its conducting of an analysis of state treasury data.

The report comes as state pension funds face a $47 billion shortfall, according to the treasury’s estimate. Gov. Chris Christie is expected to address pension issues in his budget address today.

"We need to have the conversation now about further changes to our pension system and to adding further to the state’s debt load,” said Christie in his State of the State address last month. “If we do not choose to reduce our soaring pension and debt service costs, we will miss the opportunity to improve the lives of every New Jersey citizen, not just a select few."