Rick Perry’s double dipping in the Texas State as he collects a paycheck as a retired state worker ($90,000) and as Governor ($150,000) for a state pay in excess of $240,000 says it all. He talks about cutting the pay of Congress.
He cut thousand of teachers in Texas. He cut healthcare and much more. Yet he has a salary greater than most CEOs even as a supposedly conservative politicians.
Those who vote for these charlatans, are you staying informed or do you remain willfully ignorant.
Perry ‘retired’ in January to double-dip benefits | Rick Perry 2012 Campaign for President– News and updates
By GARY SCHARRER and RICHARD S. DUNHAM, HOUSTON CHRONICLE
AUSTIN — Unbeknownst to most Texans, Gov. Rick Perry officially retired in January so he could draw early pension benefits worth $7,699 a month, in addition to his annual governor’s salary of $150,000.
Perry’s January retirement — on paper, at least — was revealed Friday when the Federal Elections Commission released the financial disclosure statement the governor was required to file as a candidate for the Republican nomination for president. The annuity brings Perry’s total state government-related income to $242,388 a year.
Reaction to news of the unusual arrangement in which Perry retired as a state employee but remains Texas’ elected governor was swift and negative.
“If there’s a Hall of Fame for hypocrites, he’s in it,” said Democratic consultant Paul Begala. “It must be part of Perry’s plan to starve the government by taking as much money from it as he can.”
Mike Gross, head of the 12,000-member Texas State Employees Union, said Perry’s pension deal “will sit badly” with other public employees.
“People are acutely aware that there’s a very strong criticism and all-out assault by conservatives on public employee pension systems. But he’s taking care of himself,” Gross said.
Gross said he had never heard of a Texas official doing what Perry has done.
“Regular employees who retire and return to work get their pension frozen and don’t accrue additional years of service — and those people are strongly criticized as being double-dippers and trying to exploit a unique situation,” he said.
Brushing off criticism
Perry, 61, and his staff brushed off the criticism, with the governor telling ABC News, “I think it’d be rather foolish to not access what you’ve earned.”
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