Critics Question Perry's Move to Collect Pension
SPENCER, Iowa — Gov. Rick Perry has sparked a wave of criticism, and some unanswered questions, after filing paperwork this week revealing that he is collecting both a salary and a pension from the state of Texas.
The Republican presidential candidate, who is trying to pull off an electoral surprise in Iowa, disclosed to the Federal Election Commission Thursday that he was earning a gross monthly retirement annuity of $7,698, or about $92,000 a year. Aides said the governor officially retired as a state employee in January but continues to draw his $150,000-a-year salary, and he expects to ...
Comments (38)
David Huang via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Remember boys and girls, government spending is good when you're the recipient and can make money off of it!
namoyer
WELFARE QUEEN!!!!!
Ann Pittman-Thompson via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Employees under the teacher retirement system are required to be off the state payroll for at least 30 days before they go back to work (at least that's the way it was when I retired 6 years ago). They also have to get permission (paperwork) to go back to work. Just another case of him working the system to his advantage. Scary to think what he would do in Washington with all of the perks there!!!
Fernando Perez via Texas Tribune on Facebook
SHAMELESS.
Viviana Rodriguez via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Why is anyone outraged? He has been doing this kind of stuff for years now and Texans keep voting for him.
Les Cunningham via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Ann--it may be 90 days by now. That's the way it is under ERS--at least for us ordinary folks, not the high-level state politicians. And there are lots of other restrictions passed in the 2009 legislature to discourage the practice. Nonetheless, this publicity is more grist for the mill of rich businessmen and right-wing politicians who want to eliminate pensions entirely for us lazy, overpaid public sector workers.
Mack Simpson via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Such a d^ck move. Perry's campaign has been a series of train wrecks, and the only one left to fire is himself.
Sharon Richard via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Les is correct, and it's the same for teachers and TRS. They would love to do away with our pension plan as well.
Bonnie Alexander Lesley via Texas Tribune on Facebook
If this stuff is legal, it certainly shouldn't be! Is there a legislator who will stop it???
Ann Pittman-Thompson via Texas Tribune on Facebook
They will only stop perks (if you can call a retirement you paid into a perk) for us poor schmucks on the bottom of the food chain
Jacqueline Lousier via Texas Tribune on Facebook
how about Merit pay for Governors - in his case he owuld owe us all money
BikerPup PupDog via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Can we possibly "fix" this by getting him retirement at the next opportunity at the polls?
Kim Stephenson Gilson via Texas Tribune on Facebook
If the teachers will all get out and vote, we can get rid of this schmuck!!!
Thomas Prentice via Texas Tribune on Facebook
He sholuld resign. In disgrace. But he is not capable of disgrace.
Glenda Hawthorne via Texas Tribune on Facebook
If I could hit the "love" button for Jacqueline's comment I would!
Charley Sargent via Texas Tribune on Facebook
don't think Tebow would do this hahaha so stop the comparisons Tricky Rick, more shameless politics and embarrassing Texas again.
Fernando Perez via Texas Tribune on Facebook
This is a CRIME ! It should be executed to da full extent of the law....
John Carhart via Texas Tribune on Facebook
How did Governor Rick's "annuity-based system" do so well after the "07-09" Wall Street implosion when my ORP (and those of many of my colleagues) turned to crap? Hmmmm?
Sharon Richard via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I for one have NEVER voted for him. And never will, I might add. But one can be elected to the governorship here with only 39% of the vote, doncha know?
Randy Case via Texas Tribune on Facebook
He never ceases to amaze me with his assholiness.
Carolyn Qualls via Texas Tribune on Facebook
not fair,he made it against the law for teachers he laid off this year to retire or rehire within a year in Texas!
Jacqueline Armendariz via Texas Tribune on Facebook
“I would be surprised why someone would not take a retirement that they were eligible for. It's just kind of good estate planning in my opinion," Perry said.
TAKING SALARY AND RETIREMENT AT THE SAME TIME IS DISHONEST AND UNETHICAL.
Rick Perry just calls its good planning.
He is a plague on our great state. Sadly, he was re-elected. ...
susie dominguez
“We’ve never heard of this,” said Craig McDonald, director of Texans for Pubic Justice, a liberal watchdog group in Austin. “It’s a total shock that the governor is collecting a retirement while he’s making his big old gubernatorial salary.”--Spell check, please!
And someone posted that if the teachers got out and voted that we could get rid of this 'schmuck'...why do you think we didn't try when we could??!?
namoyer
Let's not beat around, schmuck=dick; like the term assholiness!
sssdddd
I heard he told his closest advisors that he knew this would go over badly, but that GOD told him to do it.
I wonder if he is listening to the Arch Angel. Or if God is just trying his damdest to keep Dick from being president?
Ellen Clark
He looks like a hypocrite. I would have waited until I retired to collect my retirement.
Rudyg43
There he goes again! Perry lying about how he qualifies for retirement monies, when he's still collecting monies from being a "Lead-From-the-Outhouse" governor. He is yet another example of a career politician milking the public's taxes while saying he's out to protect the top 1%-ers! He must be retired form his office! This is the same Perry with the look of a "Deer in the headlights" on the political debates. There should be limitations on terms and when one like this loser could collect retirement monies.
Elmo
People are you really surprised? TTC, Merkel fiasco, TXDOT losing a billion in a budget they cannot find, fast tracking coal plants while taking money from TXU, toll road fiasco, He is ticking in your face people
Jack Conway
This man is an incomporable nitwit and for the life of me I can't
believe that he has run Texas for ten years.
Didn't anybody down there ever listen to him talk?
Ever hear him say anything that was unworthy of laughs or contempt?
It's been almost three months now since Time magazine---essentially in the words of that right-wing bugle boy, Mark Halperin---gave the nomination to Perry. But every twang-of-a-comment of his since then has been one hard-to-watch embarrassment after another.
And yet he hangs on, one day a glad-handing Babbit and the next an Elmer Gantry revivalist, the misfit that history may have bumped into but will never embrace.
Jack Conway
"...incomparable..."
my apologies
sssdddd
Perry's behavior says more about texans than Perry.
Jim Letchworth
..c'mon, give 'em a break. he's just another 1% wannabe scammin' the system so he can hob nob with the big boys.
David Starkey
Just because something is possible, doesn't mean it should be done.
Just because something is possible, doesn't mean it is right.
Just because Rick Perry is running for President, doesn't mean he should win.
Bad character or questionable morals when it comes to lining one's own pockets, should be factored into your decision at the polls.
Victor Green
How did Perry get around the rule that requires a state employee to be off work for 90 days before that employee is eligible for rehire?
sssdddd
Perry's actions speak more about Texans than anything else. You know birds of a feather, fly together...
sssdddd
Kinda makes a person wonder what Texans are like to have elected such a slimeball all these years.
Can any Texans be trusted?
Tony Trevino
As a retiree, don't forget that his personal insurance coverage is paid for by Employees Retirement System. Nothing wrong with that except he says he hates ObamaCare and he hates govt, and pensions. That makes a good Repub. Lectures based on anti-govt and at the same time take as much as you can. Write the rules in your favor for your friends.
Also, those who voted for him need to take some responsibility. It's never too late.
Frank Keegan
Get ready for a shock, Texas. When new GASB standards kick in, ERS funding will drop from its mythical 85% funding to an only slightly less deceptive 70%, with a locked in "Run-Out Date" of 2065. That's the best-case scenario, according to the latest study. Right now, according to another, the average Texas household owes almost $1,300 a year in additional taxes every year for the next 30 years just to pay existing unfunded pension benefits. Every year you delay paying it, it just gets bigger. So, "legal" or not, Rick Perry is taking money out of your pockets right now. For links to the studies and additional information on your state and America's state pension crisis:
http://www.franklincenterhq.org/2884/commentary-even-dim-light-of-phony-numbers-reveals-certain-catastrophe-of-public-pension-crisis/