Florida good old boy pension ripoff sounds so Chicago
The interplay of politics and the interaction of what has been called the Good Old Boys Club is a matter of history. The condition exists alongside of politics at local as well as national levels. For example we have seen it locally as the "You give my kid or relative a college scholarship and I’ll down the road take care of you..." game in Springfield and Illinois.
Or "As soon as the election is over I’ll make sure you and all of your family are employed! When you retire and get your pension I’ll see to it that you are rehired at a large salary. "
That is as long as you are all part of the “Good Old Boys Club.”
Down in Miramar Florida taxpayers are outraged by a $2.4 million payout including retirement payments on top of salaries for city employees -- 17 city employees who retired and were promptly rehired will receive a pension and their annual salary. Sounds familiar?
For example: Assistant City Manager Vernon Hargray receives an annual salary of $182,364 with an annual pension of $97,000. Emergency Management Director Joe Cabrera earns an annual salary of $153,680 and an annual pension of $93,00. Residents flooded the city with calls when City Manager Robert Payton retired last week with 2.4 Million in pension payments. As people became aware of these situations they discovered that Payton’s brother Christopher retired in 2007 and was rehired at a higher salary while continuing to receive his pension.
Next-door in adjacent Pembroke Pines City Manager Charlie Dodge retired in 2003 collecting an annual pension of $75,000. He was rehired as City Manager at a salary of $275,000 a year. While all of this has been going on for years not only in Florida but also in other American cities. Politicians seem outraged. I’m sure that while outraged they may be looking down the road when they can retire and double-dip.
Residents state that the city should not allow these situations to happen. They should hire younger people and investigate how many others are collecting large pensions and salaries. In the meantime I’m trying to find out how to join the “Good Old Boys Club.”
