Just Take One Dip and End It

Jacob Sullum | August 20, 2009

What's worse than paying a public official to do nothing? Paying him to do nothing and simultaneously paying him to continue working:

[Assemblyman Harvey] Weisenberg, 75, a Long Island Democrat, "retired" last year but continued to work as a lawmaker and remained on the payroll. As a result, he earns $101,500 in salary and collects a pension of about $72,000, according to the comptroller's office.

Similarly, Assemblywoman Rhoda Jacobs, a 72-year-old Brooklyn Democrat, retired last year after 31 years, but continued to serve her district. She earns $104,500 and draws an annual pension of more than $71,000. And Assemblyman John J. McEneny, a 65-year-old Albany-area Democrat who retired last year but kept his seat in the Assembly chamber, now earns $94,500 and a pension of about $73,000....

Mr. Weisenberg was actually a chief sponsor of legislation last year aimed at cracking down on double dipping by local governments. "Double dipping?" said Mr. Weisenberg, asked about the appearance created by his notional retirement. "I don't see this as that," he added. "This is something I earned."

Comments

|8.20.09 @ 12:09PM|#

Hey now, they're public "servants", members of a noble, almost holy calling, and whatever they earn is a mere pittance compared to their value to society. Remember, if they were in the private sector they'd make a bazillion dollars more than they do working for the gub'mint.

<strike>strike through</strike|8.20.09 @ 12:16PM|#

Who knew a parasite could be so adorable?

GV|8.20.09 @ 12:24PM|#

thanks for ruining my lunch

Spartacus|8.20.09 @ 12:31PM|#

Mr. Weisenberg was actually a chief sponsor of legislation last year aimed at cracking down on double dipping by local governments. "Double dipping?" said Mr. Weisenberg, asked about the appearance created by his notional retirement. "I don't see this as that," he added. "This is something I earned."

Damn. I had no idea anyone outside academia could be so politically tone-deaf.

Citizen Nothing|8.20.09 @ 12:33PM|#

I'd be willing to let them triple dip if they'd PROMISE to sit around doing nothing.

Team Blue|8.20.09 @ 12:34PM|#

Sheesh, you people. When public servants(and only public servants) receive more compensation they are STIMULATING THE ECONOMY!

You should be thanking him.

|8.20.09 @ 12:53PM|#

This story is made all the more sickening by the knowledge that these people will still not be voted out of office even after this. Democracy at work, peeples.

Joe M|8.20.09 @ 1:06PM|#

The DEFINITION of pension is compensation received after retirement. I mean, it's beyond obvious. If these people "earned" it, I'd like to start collecting my pension now as well, even though I've worked at my current job less than a year. May as well get a jump on things.

|8.20.09 @ 1:23PM|#

The only thing that would make this egregious looting worse would be if New York were in some sort of fiscal crisis. Thankfully that's not on the table!

?|8.20.09 @ 2:59PM|#

can we even save New York from itself?

iowahawk|8.20.09 @ 3:19PM|#

Similar double-dipping happens all the time in public education. My daughter's 5th grade teacher "retired" two years ago after 30 years of service. On her out year she was making $105,000, contractually entitling her to an $84,000 perpetual pension (plus annual cost-of-living adjustments). She was 57 years old. She now works as a part-time administrator in a neighboring district, bring in another $75,000 per year.

That's $159,000 per year for an elementary school teacher. Tell me again how "America's teachers are woefully underpaid."

<strike>strike through</strike|8.20.09 @ 3:33PM|#

She now works as a part-time administrator in a neighboring district...

...stealing candy from babies.

Paul|8.20.09 @ 5:23PM|#

Pensions on more than I make at the peak of my career. I should have been a teacher...

Paul|8.20.09 @ 5:26PM|#

Oooh! Oooh! When are we going to start referring to Teachers as "seasonal workers" and then lumping them in with immigrant workers from Mexico?

Mr. Canuck|8.20.09 @ 8:34PM|#

Hey, he's "entitled to his entitlements." LOL

Ratdog|8.21.09 @ 7:00AM|#

Racists!! How dare you make false charges against Democrats!

Confess your crimes and, no guarentees, but the judges tend to like that kind of submissive response, and may go easy on you.

Admit it, you've been listening to Rush Limba haven't you?