Double-dipping is common for public-sector 'retirees' who take on additional work

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_16977109?source=most_viewed&nclick_check=1

By Karen de Sá


[e-mail]

Posted: 12/30/2010 05:13:15 PM PST
Updated: 12/31/2010 07:15:00 AM PST

Retirement is a loosely defined term for many Silicon Valley civil servants, who as young as age 50 can begin drawing their pensions even while performing other lucrative jobs on the taxpayer dime. snip

So the city's most recently retired police chief, Rob Davis, left in October at age 53 with the option of drawing on a $215,000 pension. His predecessor, William Lansdowne, left in 2003 with an annual pension of $169,278, which has grown with cost-of-living increases to more than $200,000 a year. Lansdowne is now chief of police in San Diego, where he earns a $172,928 salary on top of his San Jose pension.

Lansdowne's predecessor, former chief Lou Cobarruviaz, retired in 1998 with a pension topping $150,000 and is now chief in Redwood City, where in 2009 he earned $193,000.

San Jose's former fire chief took a similar path. Dale Foster, who retired as acting chief in 2005, is now the Gilroy fire chief, drawing on a pension that was more than $160,000 in 2009. Foster earns a $158,000 salary on top of his San Jose retirement benefit, though he now has to pay into CalPERS, reducing his take-home pay by 9 percent.

[ejpoeta]

1. someone here in buffalo or niagara falls just got convicted of double dipping.

[Obamanaut]

2. If they retire, and then return to work under rules currently in place, they

are doing nothing illegal unless such double-dipping is expressly prohibited.

They retired, and are entitled to their retirement.

The position they are currently filling would be filled by someone, so it isn't costing anything extra.

[NNN0LHI]

3. ’Double dip’ retirees drive public costs and takes a job someone else needs

http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20101212-NEWS-12120328

By Elizabeth Dinan
[e-mail]

December 12, 2010 2:00 AM

New Hampshire law allowing public employees to retire, collect pensions, then work other public jobs needs reform, said Democratic state Rep. Laura Pantelakos.

Like many, she calls the practice "double dipping."

"They're able to live high on the hog and they're still working, but getting double pay," said Pantelakos of Portsmouth. "And they're taking a job someone else could've had."

State law allows employees in the New Hampshire Retirement System to retire after 20 years of service and begin collecting pensions that were funded by the employees and taxpayers. As a result, public employees can retire in their 40s, collect pensions from the retirement pool for decades and work other public jobs.

[Obamanaut]

8. Can you shed some light on this?

http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091105/GJNEWS_01/711059666



“…Having served in the state Legislature for more than three decades…”

“…Having been on the council for five terms, Pantelakos was seeking her sixth term among a field of 13 other candidates…”

It looks like Ms. Pantelakos has 10 years experience with the city council, and three decades with the state Legislature - unless I misread the article.

On the surface, it would look like this 74 year old is, and has been, eligible for retirement, and by continuing to work for the government is taking a job someone else can have.


And there is the possibility of Social Security and Medicare benefits at that age.

[quaker bill]

4. as usual, the exception not the rule

They pull the one example at the top of the heap, the manager / chief who is making the most benefit to make a political point. The do not discuss the career administrative assistant who is pulling a tiny pension he/she could not live on, and who is now working another low paid job to make ends meet. The vast bulk of "double dippers" are more similar to the admin assistant than the boss.

To get a pension of $150k in a public system generally means the person made approximately twice that before retiring. These very rare examples are used to promote changes in law and policy that will largely impact the vast majority of folks who are much farther down the economic scale.

[sammytko]

6. Some teachers and school employees in Tx do this

My sister retired from her admin job and then was re-hired. My former English teacher is doing the same thing. They collect retirement and regular pay.

They do not pay into Social Security, but someone found a loophole somewhere and all they had to do was attend a weekend seminar and bam! - SS eligible.

And they are not pulling down the big bucks.

[old mark]

5. Most public employees-such as me when I was working-make under

$35000per year when working.Most make way less than that.
There are very few public service jobs that pay in the 6 figures, and most of them are political such as the police chief positions mnentioned and elected officials and legislators. I am all for cutting their pay and benefits, but they consider themselves too important to ever do that.

mark

[stray cat]

7. They have the right to retire and work elsewhere

[quaker bill]

9. six of one, half dozen of the other

people have the right to retire and then get another job. Whether it is a public sector or private sector job is not relevant. Either way, they show up, they do the work, they get paid for it. Whether or not they have earned and are receiving a pension at the time is not relevant, because if they are receiving a pension, they already did what was necessary to earn it.

People on private pensions occasionally take a job with government. This is not a problem either.

[Cutatious]

10. Double dipping at the taxpayer teat is disgusting and wrong

Sure, collect your earned pension but don't get yet another tax paid job that someone who has never had a chance at public service could have.