'Retirement' sweet for 8 double-dippers in Congress who collect state pensions BY GLENN BLAIN DAILY NEWS ALBANY BUREAU
Monday, August 30th 2010, 4:00 AM
Van Buren/Times Union Congressman Paul Tonko is one of the 8 New York members of the House of Representatvies who collect a state pension in addition to their regular salaries from the federal government.
ALBANY - Eight New York House members are getting thousands of dollars in taxpayer-funded pension payments on top of their six-figure salaries, the Daily News has learned.
The double-dipping eight - including three House of Representatives members from the city - are collecting pensions for government posts they held in New York before being elected to Congress.
"You've got to be kidding me," said an incredulous Dick Dadey, executive director of the good-government group Citizens Union.
"Pensions are for when you retire, not when you are continuing to work," Dadey said. "In these tight fiscal times, elected officials are not setting a good example."
Rep. Paul Tonko, an Albany-area Democrat and former assemblyman, receives the biggest pension of the eight, taking $64,641 annually, state pension records posted online by the Empire Center for New York State Policy show.
My neighbor worked for GE, retired, and while he collected a pension, he worked for Target I have a cousin who worked for Verizon, took early retirement, collected her pension, and went to work for the state
I don't see what the problem is here. I think some folks are embarrassed that they didn't have the smarts to work for the government at an early age so as to retire early. Tonko was elected by the people not hired.
My beef is when they offer early retirement packages then rehire the folks as outside consultants for mucho bucks. See this in SUNY system all the time. Looks like Rotterdam is going to get stung by this same game.
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It's the retirements that the state cant afford....the FUTURE (of which we know not and f'n thing about)payments and entitlements....... IT'S VERY VERY FOOLISH for this state or any other state to allow politicians to talk about FEEL GOOD programs and the folks they will hire 'creating' jobs at lower wages(looks good in current budget for votes) then offering exorbitant payout/retirements later when the ignorant plebs forgot the beginning.........
STUPID STUPID STUPID......
you dont get to deserve lifetime benefits for your 'service'......what a freakin' farce.....the state employees are also a VOLUNTEER army of sorts......
I can afford you now but my kids cant afford you later.....GOT IT!!!! poor poor planning......as for the state workers---get out of your pity hole..... here's the corner of the rug....PULL.....WE WILL START AT THE TOP........
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Well, when Tonko leaves office, he will STILL be receiving both of these benefits for the rest of his life, as one of the "perks" of being a congressman is that you continue to receive your salary that you were getting in Congress after you are out. Don't know when we started paying it, but it happens.
Well, when Tonko leaves office, he will STILL be receiving both of these benefits for the rest of his life, as one of the "perks" of being a congressman is that you continue to receive your salary that you were getting in Congress after you are out. Don't know when we started paying it, but it happens.
Hey, I'm not a Tonko fan by any stretch of the imagination.....but he or any others are NOT breaking any laws. Just try to get these legislature to abolish it!!!!
Hey, I'm not a Tonko fan by any stretch of the imagination.....but he or any others are NOT breaking any laws. Just try to get these legislature to abolish it!!!!
Well, if people vote for the Constitutional Convention that can be pushed up here in New York State, we could make it an amendment to the New York State Constitution to at least stop the double dipping by adding a clause to say that if you return to work or retain another position which will give you the lifetime benefits, then the ones that you previously had are null and void. I think that would be a great addition. It's only legal because the people who make the laws don't want to take away thier own benefits and others don't want to get rid of them bad enough.
State Constitutional Conventions have a poor track record for making the huge reforms of which you propose. Not saying that it wouldn't be worth try to get some huge reforms -- but it will be an uphill struggle.
In fairness, each of these "double dippers" should forego their pension while earning a salary in their current position.
BTW -- Senator Farley collects a pension from SUNYA and his salary as a State Senator.
So, that means my neighbor, who retired from GE and is collecting the GE pension and is working for Target at the same time, my neighbor should give up his GE pension until he stops working for Target, is that correct?
And I trust you also believe that when someone is collecting a pension from the GE, and is working for Target, then when the person hits SS age, the should be prohibited from collecting SS while working 20 hours a week at Target.
How about the double dippers, collecting pensions from GE AND collecting Social Security! Oh my gosh, for shame, for shame that anyone should double dip by getting a pension from GE, Verizon, the state, the fed, a hospital, a Walmart, whatever, and still double dip getting SS as well.
Now, if you work for GE earn a pension, and go to work elsewhere---the state, ANY private company---doesn't matter, you work the number of years required for a pension from your second employer, wait, let's have a law, people may not collect two pensions either!
Oh wait, Walmart doesn't have pensions. Ah, let's tax workers for FICA, call it double dipping if they have a pension from the state, GE, whatever and deny them SS, but hand over our SS to Walmart "retirees" because Walmart is too cheap to pay retirements.
And I trust you also believe that when someone is collecting a pension from the GE, and is working for Target, then when the person hits SS age, the should be prohibited from collecting SS while working 20 hours a week at Target.
How about the double dippers, collecting pensions from GE AND collecting Social Security! Oh my gosh, for shame, for shame that anyone should double dip by getting a pension from GE, Verizon, the state, the fed, a hospital, a Walmart, whatever, and still double dip getting SS as well.
Now, if you work for GE earn a pension, and go to work elsewhere---the state, ANY private company---doesn't matter, you work the number of years required for a pension from your second employer, wait, let's have a law, people may not collect two pensions either!
Oh wait, Walmart doesn't have pensions. Ah, let's tax workers for FICA, call it double dipping if they have a pension from the state, GE, whatever and deny them SS, but hand over our SS to Walmart "retirees" because Walmart is too cheap to pay retirements.
Solution - People pay for their own retirement, whether public or private sector. Put my SS contributions back in my paycheck.
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So, that means my neighbor, who retired from GE and is collecting the GE pension and is working for Target at the same time, my neighbor should give up his GE pension until he stops working for Target, is that correct?
The discussion was about persons who had careers in both politics and a civil service type job. Not people in the private sector.
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