TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey's Senate president is warning that government retirees could see a two-thirds reduction in their pensions in less than 10 years unless lawmakers can fix a $54 billion deficit in the retirement system.

In a meeting with reporters Thursday, Senate President Stephen Sweeney expressed new urgency in fixing the significantly underfunded pension and health insurance systems for government workers and retirees. He said changes that will cost workers more need to happen by June 30, the deadline for passing a state budget and the date the contract expires for 40,000 union state workers.

"We have a $100 billion deficit between pension and health care — it's not acceptable," said Sweeney, a South Jersey Democrat. "It's not fair to the workers. The promises that were made are not going to be kept. How do we look someone in the eye who's worked 30 or 35 years and in 2018, all of a sudden people's pensions are cut by two-thirds and they can't live anymore?"