What Does Retire Mean?

Hi Everyone,

What do you think the definition of retire is? Webster's definitions that apply to today's blog are: 1) having discontinued work after long service. 2) withdraw from business or public life. 3) make inactive; relieve of duty. The definition of retire seems to be pretty cut and dry doesn't it? It is either black or white with no gray matter in between. Under normal circumstances that would be correct, until you mention New York State. It is painfully apparent that NYS politicians do not know what the meaning of retire is.

I previously blogged in 2009 about the huge problem NYSwas and still is facing with high pension costs from high (bloated) salaries reported during employees final 3 years before retiring and double dippers. But having double dippers, (NYS employees who have retired and receive their pensions and then go back to work for the state and collect a salary) makes no sense at all. To make matters even worse, there are 15 NYS lawmakers (both Republicans and Democrats) who collect both. Come on, either you are working for the state or you are retired from working for the state. Their should be no in betweens. You should not be allowed to collect a pension and a salary together. Just since 2011, there has been a whopping 32 percent increase in state employees who collect both their pensions and a salary. When will this madness end?

Anyone with an ounce of common sense knows that it should not be legal to collect both a pension and a salary simultaneously. Isn't this an abuse of taxpayer money? Why can't politicians see this problem and solve it? Why isn't there an uproar over this bad policy? Citizens of New York need to know that this is happening and to try to have it stopped once and for all. Politicians never cease to amaze me! They have a take, take mentality.

Til next week.

Peter