Perry "Retires" to Boost Pension Pay
Rick Perry has done something his opponents have been hoping he’d do for years: retire. But it’s not what the governor’s detractors had in mind.
Perry officially retired in January so he could start collecting his lucrative pension benefits early, but he still gets to collect his salary — and has in turn dramatically boosted his take-home pay.
Perry makes a $150,000 annual gross salary as Texas governor. Now, thanks to his early retirement, Perry, 61, gets a monthly retirement annuity of $7,698 before taxes, or $6,588 net. That raises his gross annual salary to ...
Comments (36)
Tom Sullivan via Texas Tribune on Facebook
hmm, yet the rules for state employees has been changed so that retire/rehires have to sit out for 90 days before applying for another state job. As usual, one set of rules for Perry and another for everyone else.
Bambi Clark via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Whatever it takes to keep Rick and Anita living in the style they are used to.
Bologna Vest
Nothing says "outsider" like "retiring" at the age of 60 (his age when he started pulling his pension) to a $92,000/year *government* pension while still drawing down a $150,000 a year *government* salary.
Stephen Wright via Texas Tribune on Facebook
schmuck
Martha Dunkelberger via Texas Tribune on Facebook
This man has no honor.
Rick Scott McGuckin via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Perry's slogan should be " living off the government's teat is only for rich white people.'
Sue Felan via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I wonder how the governor's retirement is figured. It probably is not the same as regular state employee's.
Leslie Pool
how can he be "retired" when he's still "working" as governor?
and ... what happened to the state policy against "revolving door" employment?
Billie Veach via Texas Tribune on Facebook
A retired Tx School teacher cannot receive Teacher Retirement and SS under the double dipping fed law.
HOW can he?? Mandatory SS paid when was not teaching.
Took the money and will not give it back.. Takes retirement
but does not give a retired teacher's,and other pension
a raise since George Bush was governor in 1999..starving
us and making Texas look more like a bunch of fools led
by a dictator !!! Rick.
Cate Sitton via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Scumbag makes me sick.
T D
I've got no gripe with Texas providing its past governors with a pension. I think this is a good practice, as it tells sitting governors that they don't have to make sweetheart deals in order to be supported later.
What I mind is a governor who never misses a chance to criticize government and public employees, yet has never done anything else in his life to earn an honest living.
Nice move by his campaign, by the way, to stall the release of this news.
Bonnie Jackson Crawford via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Perry is quite the jerk and a real hypocrite for taking government healthcare, while not wanting it for all Americans. His type is despicable.
WUSRPH
Are you sure about him being able to get more credit for the remainder of his term as governor? It did not work that way for such regular old state employees....when I went back to work for the state after retiring I GO NOT CREDIT FOR THAT TIME....altho I, like Perry, was double-dipping at the time. If you are right, it means that Being Rick gives extra benefits denied to us common folk. As to the 90-day "sit out", I guess that means that made Dewhurst Governor for the first three months of this year....making anything Rick did as Governor during that period legally questionable. But, again, all retirees are equal but SOME are MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS.
Texas RMS
I work for the state of Texas, too. As a school teacher I am not allowed to collect the Social Security that I earned through another job if I collect my teacher retirement. We are told that is "double-dipping." And yet, the governor is allowed to do just that. Also, when did the governor retire? I guess it was when he hit the campaign trail and quit seeing to business in Texas. It would also seem reasonable for the people of Texas to have been told that their governor was actually retired and no longer in their employ.
JC DemocratofTejas
Typically unethical Perry, scamming the taxpayers since he was first an employee of the state. There is only one action, one word for Perry now RECALL the governorship, and give those funds back to welfare, education, health. Is there anyone else in the U.S. more despicable? NO.
Renee E. Babcock via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Although I know that what Perry is doing is not illegal, I'm a little puzzled, since for any other state employee, there would be a 90 break in service before they could take another state job. It's not uncommon for people to retire, sit out their 90 days, then come back (usually in a lower paying part time position). But I don't see how Perry got around the mandatory break in service, unless there's a special provision that says doesn't apply to Perry hidden somewhere in there.
Sergio Hernandez De Santos via Texas Tribune on Facebook
To that guy with that ridiculous 'tache why don't u defend your poppa now?
sssdddd
I WONDER WHAT HAPPENS TO HIS CAMPAIGN BUS IF HE LOSES.
Does Amiga and her Dick turn into motorhome trash?
Bill Mintz via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I hope the Trib looks into the 90-day rule.
Rhonda Stone
This is legal in many states (including mine) and drives me crazy. Right now our state is looking to trim $2.5 billion from its budget. I can't help but wonder how much total elimination of "double-dipping" would save the state budget. I don't believe ANY state employee should receive a pension as long as they are making additional income. Pensions are for retirement; not to help you live larger than your neighbor.
jpt51
I thought one had to retire to retire. The honorable thing Rick Perry should do when he comes home in a couple of weeks is actually resign as governor. He's been untruthful from the get go, even about running for the office of president. Texans have had enough disappointments with GW in office of POTUS. We don't need an, "OPPS" guy leading Texas down the yellow brick road with crony pals actually pulling the levers of government.
sssdddd
if Perry were capable of doing the responsible thing he would just go find a corner, curl up and die. However what is more likely is alzheimer's will overwhelm and he will become a ward of the state at the mercy of Texas Tea Party.
msh Dallas
TX TRIB please check into the two pensions RP is eligible to take. "Perry is allowed to retire in two different systems — the "employee class" from which he is retired now, and the "elected class" system he will take retirement from when he leaves office."
What are the formulas for these two classes? How long can Texans "sustain" this guy and Anita. We also have not included all the other "perks" such as the rent-a-mansion. RP: Retire, Resign, Re-elect, NO WAY! bumper sticker for his bus.
think
Where is the recall petition to get him out of office. What a robber barron move during a 27Billion dollar GOP budget crisis. How offensive that state employees get let go and his move is to boost his own pension by retiring early. GOP has been raiding pensions then gambling them away in Texas but hey , he's taking the loot.
He for sure is going down is a blaze of government/taxpayer paid opulence.
George Krieger via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Anyone know what his pension is? Retired teachers in Texas have not received a cost of living adjustment since 2004.
Debra Haas via Texas Tribune on Facebook
How do you spell hypocrite in Texas? P - E - R - R -Y
WUSRPH
If what Perry did was “retire” as a “regular” state employee…while continuing in office, this is the same thing Bob Bullock did when he left the office of State Comptroller to become Lt. Governor. In Bullock’s case it was because the salary of the Lt. Governor is only $7,200 per year….and he needed his retirement check every month to live. While he was Lt. Governor Bullock earned credit toward another retirement—this time as a member of the “elected class” for which the retirement benefit is much higher than what he received as a regular state retire. In Bullock’s case this effort did him little personal good as he died in less than a year after he left public office…although his survivor may have benefited from the survivor benefits both retirements provided. Perry may have something similar in mind…but it is hard to see how this would really benefit him since he has only two years left on his term which, added to this year, would give him only three years of credit towards qualifying for a retirement under the elected class. To make it possible for him to receive benefits as both a regular and an elected class member he would probably have to serve at least one more full term as governor (Heaven help us?). If this were to happen, Perry could actually be a "triple dipper" rather than a “double dipper” receiving two different pensions. In fact, after he reaches age 62 or 65 since Perry will also qualify for Social Security payments as well as the possible two state retirement checks...This suggests that--at least in his case--Perry's concern that state employees have a better pension than those in the private sector might actually be true...even if only for him!
Helen Weicker via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Not that I defending what Mr. Perry is doing even though it is legal, it is not required. I believe, however, he does not have to adhere to the 90 day wait because there is a difference between the "hired" state employee and the "elected" state employee. I believe that is what the TT story said.
Marilyn Bick
As a Texas, never will I vote for him!
GS Crispus
"All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others"
jpt51
I urge every outraged reader to write your state senator and representative. Here's a suggested example:
If you want to save the Texas taxpayer money you will end a two tiered system allowing elected officials to draw their retirement while they are employed by the state and then have it adjusted upward again when they retire later. Rick Perry’s explanation, the ERS called and said he’d be ‘foolish’ not to take is retirement, is another of his tall tales. The practice is an abomination and insult to fairness to the taxpayer. An end to the loophole needs to be the first bill filed in the next session. Here’s a guy who is critical of government spending and says it’ was necessary to lay off 100,000 teachers all the while he’s drawing an extra $93,000.00! The man is a hypocrite and you are too if you don’t end the abuse.
Meanwhile, you ought to demand the governor return his retirement money since he wasn't off the job for ninety days, as required by law. Please don't tell me Rick Perry is exempt from that provision too!
David Spratt
The outrage of it all !!!!!!!!!!!! I would bet anything that every single person expressing their outrage would do the very same thing if possible. Apparently it is legal and within the law. Kinda like hating all those rich millionaire and billionaire people not paying any taxes. What about that? There is but one U.S. tax code and looking at the number of Billionaires in prison , the majority are following the law. Maybe more people should have joined the military , been in elected office or had a government job that would allow them to retire three times at age 60 and still work. Maybe it is the system and not the individual at fault? But the system can't be touched , because the very same people expressing outrage here would be outraged at the thought of denial of " Benefits" to retirees, or maybe just " Those people" would be the ones targeted? Just a case of take that guys money and benefits away , but don't touch mine. Same goes for the Welfare use and abuse. Millions ride the system and use and abuse it daily , but no meaningful reform or means testing will ever happen. Can't deny all those people their money , they rely on it for their living.
Herry Den Lyons via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Perry is Awesom! He is showing us just what a scam public welfare is AND benefiting from it too! He a really smart guy! (tool)
John Burton via Texas Tribune on Facebook
What about retired teachers? Perry is just unbelievable.
Joe Forsythe
Absolutely nothing that Gov. Teflon Rick does surprises me. I do not think he has the capacity to understand just how bad of a human he is. He is definitely one of the new breed of Republicans in politics: Me, Me, Me and while I am thinking about it more Me. It is difficult to believe just how wickedly he uses the religious people in Texas. Gov. Rick would sell his soul to the devil for a few pieces of silver. WHY DO PEOPLE NOT SEE HIM FOR WHAT HE IS? Should anyone ever build a Wall of Shame in Texas, Gov. Teflon Rick's picture should be the crown on it. (The sad part is that Gov. Teflon Rick will continue to be elected as gov. as long as he wishes to continue putting it to the people in Texas. Scary, very scary, but that is the way it is.)
Maggie Gibson
Rick Perry is not the only employee to be double dipping. Who is looking out for this man? Did he think during his presidential bid that now would be a good time to do something like this? And we are to think he wouldn't pull these same tricks in the White House?
Also -- he is not the only Texas government employee to be doing this. Trib should look into how many other employees, especially in his office, have retired once already but now receive a salary + pension.