Don't Cry for Gov. David Paterson

…or any other corrupt New York state public official for that matter. ProPublica reports that under New York law, there's nothing a state employee can do that's so bad he won't be able to collect his pension.

This means that politicians receive their pensions even after they become convicted felons, such as State Sens. Joseph Bruno ($8,007.11 monthly pension) and Guy Velella ($6,251 monthly pension). (Messages to the former senators have not been returned, but we'll update you if we hear from them.) Pensions are determined by averaging the largest salary of three consecutive years…

Harry Corbitt, the State Police superintendent who resigned this week following revelations that he knew that state troopers had visited a woman who was intending to file assault charges against one of Paterson's aides, will receive a $7,064 monthly pension from the state, according to the state comptroller's office. Even if he had been fired, it wouldn't have made a difference.

According to the article, more than half the states have similar laws.

Comments

[Pro Libertate]

And people ask me why I'm always on about the Censor. We need more watchdogs--with removal and other punitive powers--at all levels of government.

[Cabeza de Vaca]

Who watches the Censor?

[Episiarch]

I do.

[Cabeza de Vaca]

Oh, who watches Epi?

[capitol l]

I think it's your turn, Cabeza.

[Episiarch]

No head of a cow can watch me.

[Cabeza de Vaca]

No, that's a job for Steve Smith.

[Episiarch]

STEVE SMITH ONLY WATCH ENTOURAGE! EVERYTHING ELSE ON HBO SUCK! WHEN SEASON 6 DVDS COME OUT? STEVE MISS ARI! ARI SAY FUNNY THINGS, MAKE STEVE HUNGRY FOR JEWS!

[guy in the back row]

Don't the Tandu watch the Episiarch?

[Episiarch]

If you call 100,000 years of servitude watching, I suppose so.

[Pro Libertate]

The Censor would be a full branch of government (more than one dude, too), with checks and balances from the other branches.

And, of course, a mandatory toga.

[Paul]

Wow, there's so much outrage here, one hardly knows where to begin. Putting aside the most obvious outrage of getting a pension after defrauding your own constituency as a public servant, these pensions are frickin' huge.

A six figure pension?!! That right there should be a criminal offense for a public 'servant' (who sacrificed so much for his people).

[John]

Understand that pension is more than any non-elected official would get in the federal government.

[capitol l]

Balko is on fire today. Sucks for us, ya know, having to go into the weekend with sore crotchal regions. The nut-punch of liberty is fierce today.

If another story comes, though, we will grin and bear it. For we run not on the fuel of mortals but instead the fires of outrage.

[Episiarch]

This should come as no surprise to anyone. When the people who make the rules set the salaries, uh, they're going to give themselves the best shit.

Shit, I detest these fucking parasites. They are thieves.

[Mokers]

I am not sure if the pension after a felony conviction pisses me off more than the pension while still on the government payroll for another job or vise versa.

[creech]

Most private company pensions would be paid in these circumstances, too. Once you are vested, you can be terminated for cause and still collect your pension when you retire.
[This protects workers from some bastard who decides you were fired for "insubordination" as you neared retirement date.} Public employees pensions should, however, have clauses terminating pension rights for conviction of felonies committed while acting as an agent of the public employer.

[capitol l]

Don't most private employees have to pay into their pension fund? I might be wrong though.

[creech]

Not the traditional defined benefit ones they don't.

[Buster]

Gone the way of the buggy whip.

[Colin]

Well, they did pay into the pension funds.

[Michael Ejercito]

Who owns the pension?

[A. Freeman]

As a New York Taxpaying Citizen, I am outraged. What these people earn is more than I make working. Too bad my 401(k) is all I have to fall back on.

And, yes, you can collect that money while you are in prison serving out your sentence.

I guess it can be direct deposited to your 401(k)account for when you get out.

[Paul]

They should pass a citizen initiative, saying that any public official convicted of a felony will have their pensions garnished at a rate of 75%.

[captol l]

175%, would be better.

[DWCarkuff]

In the rural area of NY where I live, we still have families living out of their cars and in abandoned school buses and clothe their children from the Goodwill store. And disgusting, corrupt pigs suck down the swill at the public trough. New York is the biggest cesspit of corruption in the entire nation.

[Pablo]

Careful, there are a lot of contenders for that title.

[R C Dean]

Yet another reason to do away with defined benefit plans altogether.

Public servants need to be in the same boat as the rest of us for retirement, with defined contribution plans.

[LibertyBill]

Hopefully if we get Warren Redlich in Albany, we can get some much needed cleaning up

[Gov. David Paterson]

I never saw the light.
But who could blame me?

[Stevie Wonder]

sqnb Sqcus! U xiyks gqcw.....Sorry, wrong home position.

Damn David! I could have done a better job of seeing the light than that.

[Nike Shox Nz]

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[Nike Shox Nz]

The opinions and the articles you provide is good to me, As a visiter, I should learn more and hope one day that I can own a blog like this with so special views and the extraordinary style. Best wishes to you.