Still Governor, Perry Collects $7700/month ‘Retirement’ Pay

[웃 910]

Still Governor, Perry Collects 'Retirement' Pay

Gov. Rick Perry of Texas has been beating the drum about cutting the pay of Congress in half — or by 75 percent under one plan — a proposal that has become a cornerstone of his presidential campaign platform.

But he boosted his own taxpayer-financed compensation by about 60 percent this year, Jay Root at The Texas Tribune reports.

Mr. Perry — who isn't stepping down as governor — nevertheless was able to officially "retire" this year for benefits purposes, a move that gives him about $90,000 more in annual retirement compensation on top of his $150,000 salary as governor.

The move may open him up to criticism from rivals, who can point to Mr. Perry's recent suggestions that the retirement age for Social Security and the age eligibility for Medicare be raised — two government programs that many older Americans depend on to make ends meet.

The Perry campaign disclosed the information in Mr. Perry's newest filing with federal election regulators.

The governor defended his pension decision at a campaign stop Friday in Cherokee, Iowa.

"That's a program that's been in place for decades as far as I know," he said at a coffee shop. "I would be surprised why someone would not take a retirement they were eligible for. That's just kind of good estate planning in my opinion."

Ray Sullivan, the Perry campaign's communications director, said in a statement that the governor "continues to pay into the Employees Retirement System with a 6.5 percent withholding from his state salary."

Mr. Sullivan described the rationale for the governor's "retirement" decision:

"As part of his standard financial planning, on Jan. 31, 2011 Governor Perry began to receive a Texas state employee retirement annuity of $7,698 per month before taxes ($6,588 net). The annuity is consistent with Texas state law and Employee Retirement System rules. The combination of Governor Perry's U.S. military service, state service and age exceeded the state-required 80 years and qualified him for the annuity under Texas Government Code 813.503 as amended in 1991. Perry turned 61 years old on March 4, 2011. "

But the Texas Democratic Party blasted Mr. Perry's move as nothing more than an on-the-job pay raise while state workers were being fired for budget reasons.

"When you start getting more money from your employer while also continuing to receive your salary, that's called a raise," a Democratic Party spokesman, Anthony Gutierrez, said. "Somehow this Republican budget doesn't have room to pay teachers but they can give Rick Perry a $100k pay raise. If Perry wants retirement benefits he should do us all a favor and actually retire. Giving himself a raise while thousands of teachers are losing their jobs is unconscionable."

http://thecaucus.blo...-paper-reports/

Edited December 17, 2011 by Lord Infamous

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Dems are always trying to stiff state workers for their pensions. In Wisconsin they left the state entirely and did not even represent the people and the unions that supported them. Great. The unions support Dems and when they need them the most, they turn on them and try to cut off their retirement.

Please, give us more examples of Dems trying to cut off pensions from state workers.

Edited December 17, 2011 by Gary and Alla