Pension Privacy Gets Attention of Legislators
This is one in a series of occasional stories about ethics and transparency in the part-time Texas Legislature.
State elected officials, from the governor on down, have the kind of pension benefits that people in the private sector can only dream of. The benefits are vested after just eight years. They can retire at age 50 with 12 years of service. There are multiple avenues to boost their pension amount. There is even a provision allowing them to double dip their salary and retirement benefits.
And it is all completely secret.
Individual records held by the state’s public pension ...
Comments (4)
Kathi Thomas via Texas Tribune on Facebook
It is shameful and must be changed. Tribe- please do a story showing the difference between the costs of how we pay and retire now and what it would cost if, say we paid them $57,000 a year while in office and then a normal retirement when out of office.
Casey Bennett via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I believe there should be more transparency with the fund, and funding. It should not be looked at for any reason other than to see what the fund holds for any particular person(s). Too often when the general Public get hold of this type of information they are outraged, and feel cheated, then the next thing you know,,,the fund is scavenged. Texas has a good solid State Government. We as tax payers, should not be mad at the money they make on our behalf. Be it from from retirement, or 'double dipping". Double dipping is just another way of saying you are jealous of someones accomplishments. Should the retirement age be 50,,,probably not, as most of them are already 50 and over. We scream that we don't want our legislators in office for more than 6-10 years. If 12 years in office is the mark for retirement,,,,,either don't re-elect them, or set some kind of term limits. Singling out just Rick Perry,,shows that this is a partisan argument more than anything. If you truly wanted to print a good story,,,,list ALL of the men and women that are double dipping, or that will be eligible for all the retirement entitlements.
Tammy L. Arguijo via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I want to know AND vote!
John Johnson
Casey, please give us an example of some worthwhile program being "savaged" after we "outraged" people have found out about it.