More News On Our Unsustainable Pension System
NJ Watchdog reporter Mark Largerkvist released a report this morning about 125 “retired” police officers who are double dipping as employees of county prosecutors or the Attorney General.
The average age of the officers when they retired was 49. On average they receive $79,000 in salary and $69,000 in pension payments annually.
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How did N.J. get into this pension mess?
How To End Double Dipping
They say a picture is worth a thousand words ….well how about a 5 sec video of our pension system ….http://i40.tinypic.com/qyy0s6.gif
I have no problem with “double-dipping” –because it is LEGAL. However, when you have to resort to placing people in fictitious positions; issuing false statements, and demoting people to justify double-dipping–thats problematic. I blame Guadagno for the mess Golden inherited; however, Golden did keep Donovan in the Chief Law Enforcement Officer position for an additional 13 months–permitting further financial erosion of the PFRS pension system.
If I recall, Golden ran for office on a platform of fiscal austerity. Am I missing something here???
Undersheriff Michael W. Donovan Jr. retired as an investigator for the County Prosecutor’s Office in May 2005.
In September 2008, Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno – then-sheriff of Monmouth County – hired Donovan as her chief officer in charge of law enforcement, according to her signed memo and her organization chart.
Under pension rules, Donovan would lose his pension pay if the state found out he returned to work as the sheriff’s chief officer. So Guadagno informed other county officials Donovan was “chief warrant officer” – a similar sounding, but different position not covered under pension rules.
Using that guise, Donovan collected $218,000 in pension checks and avoided paying $27,000 he should have contributed to the pension fund. The details were first revealed in a New Jersey Watchdog investigative report last year.
Faced with a state inquiry, Sheriff Shaun Golden – Guadagno’s successor – employed a different tactic. In February he promoted Donovan to undersheriff–with a $5000.00 dollar raise– another position deemed exempt from pension rules. So Donovan, 55, continues his double-dipping ways. His take is $178,000 a year – his $92,000 salary plus an $86,000 pension.
There are two other double-dipping undersheriffs on Golden’s staff.
Theodore Freeman retired from Monmouth County in January 1996 and was rehired as undersheriff in June 2002. Freeman, 65, receives $151,000 a year – his $92,000 salary plus $59,000 in pension.
Undersheriff Robert J. Dawson gets $184,000 a year – his $88,000 salary plus a $96,000 pension. Dawson, 47, retired from the Spring Lake police on Feb. 1.
Two weeks later, he was sworn into office as a Monmouth County undersheriff.
So what? These people are not costing the taxpayers any more money then if they retired and somebody else was hired for those jobs.
It is no worse then all the people who retire and then get a private job. Bitching about this confuses the issue, The problem is not “double dipping” The problem is the pension rules that allow a guy 45 years old to retire. It should be 25 years AND 60 years old before you can retire or at least age 60 before you can collect. Just like in private industry. Because people can retire at 45 is the reason the pension system has become actuarally unsound. Not because they work again afterwards.
Focus people!
Funny, you don’t FOCUS on the crux of the problem in the Sheriff’s Office—FRAUD and DECEPTION were utilized to permit Mr. Donovan to “double-dip.”
Guadagno appointed him to a fictitious, non-existent position. A position that was eliminated from the table of organization just a week before he was employed. A position that Guadagno informed county officials that existed.
The person in charge of the pension system requested a criminal investigation by the AG’s office into this matter. The matter is still pending. But then it’s being investigated by a person who was appointed by the Governor–who just happened to select Guadagno as his running mate, and also appointed Golden as Sheriff. Talk about conflict of interests.
If I recall, Art asked Guadagno about this situation–she refused to talk about it. Perhaps Art can find out from Golden his take on this matter–or is Silence Golden!!
BLAH BLAH BLAH PERSONEL AGENDA YADDA YADDA YADDA VENDETTA WAHWAHWAHWHAHWAHWAHWAH.
This is disgusting !! More taxpayer abuse ! More shady politicians working the pension system and hiring people under the table. Club Monmouth is alive and well. Don’t be fooled !
TR,
Very informative post. You hear the truth and you resort to name calling.
Your probably a typical Club Monmouth cheerleader–when your told to jump, I guess your reply is, “how high?”
Call it for what it is: CORRUPTION!! And I’m sick and tired of paying for it. I am sure we have not heard the end of it.
Happy New Year!
Speaking of pension abuse why doesn’t Christie get busy in Ocean County? It is interesting Governor Christie has been donating to his friend from Monmouth County Kyrillos for years. Kyrillos accepted years of donations from the horse racing industry. Isn’t it interesting Rullo’s boy Gilmore is the attorney for OTB. It is also a fact that Kyrillos and Governor are tight with Gilmore. How interesting now they want horse racing in restaurants? Someone should look into the relationship to Hovanian in all this. Hovanian owns the building that was vacant until the Toms River OTB. Rumor has it Gilmore, Kyrillos, and Christie are bought by horse racing contributors. This is why we need Anna Little to stand up for us against these interest.
Anybody who reads this blog knows I am not a cheerleader for anyone. I am just tired of hearing this story trotted out. Because it is being passed around by someone ticked off that they did not get what they wanted. Yes it feels icky but it was not a crime and it did nor caost the taxpayers more then they would have paid in any event. Constantly trotting it out takes focus away from the real problem and how to fix it.
Tea 1- to you I say really? Christie a friend of the horse racing contributors. Read the paper I think not. If you are going to post something to try to help a candidate at least make sense.
BTW my new year resolution is; Do not suffer fools.