Honest Andrew Cuomo is starting an investigation into "pension padding". If this continues, Buffalo police officers might be forced to do something unthinkable, like move from Orchard Park into Buffalo. Cuomo called pension padding a "scam" on the taxpayers that needs to stop. Who suddenly woke him up?
It should be noted that this scam is not just a police scam, or a Buffalo scam. It's a scam done by doctors and politicians as well as Erie County Sherrifs and mechanics. It takes place all over New York State, not just in Buffalo. A Buffalo News investigation documented this in 2009:
A Buffalo News investigation conducted in 2008 and 2009 — “Public Pensions: Cashing In” — found, for example, that it’s not unusual for Buffalo police and firefighters to retire with pensions that exceed their base pay.
One officer, The News found, racked up $123,000 in overtime in his final year on the job, bringing his paycheck in 2007 to $188,747. The officer retired with a $105,361 pension on a job with an annual base pay of $58,243.
More recently, it was disclosed that Barbara Miller-Williams, chairwoman of the Erie County Legislature, is getting ready to retire from her job as a Buffalo police officer.
In preparation, Miller-Williams worked more than $51,000 in overtime, boosting her total annual pay to nearly $128,000 — double her base salary.
This scam is an obvious ripoff of the taxpayers. The question is how will honest Andrew's newfound tough stand play with the locals? Will the local workers that benefit from this scam suddenly shift their loyalties to Carl Paladino? Probably not, since they usually dutifully do whatever they're told to by Brian Higgins. It's one thing to talk tough when they're out at the bars. Here's a chance to put their tough sounding words into action. When Higgins tells them it's in their best interest to support honest Andrew, they will all drop what they're doing and fawn all over him like 12 year old schoolgirls. We'll be watching with interest. Will these tough talking government workers support an independent thinker over an entrenched democrat? Unfortunately, I think we already know the answer to this question. It lies in their genes.
Cuomo probes pension padding : City & Region : The Buffalo News
It should be noted that this scam is not just a police scam, or a Buffalo scam. It's a scam done by doctors and politicians as well as Erie County Sherrifs and mechanics. It takes place all over New York State, not just in Buffalo. A Buffalo News investigation documented this in 2009:
A Buffalo News investigation conducted in 2008 and 2009 — “Public Pensions: Cashing In” — found, for example, that it’s not unusual for Buffalo police and firefighters to retire with pensions that exceed their base pay.
One officer, The News found, racked up $123,000 in overtime in his final year on the job, bringing his paycheck in 2007 to $188,747. The officer retired with a $105,361 pension on a job with an annual base pay of $58,243.
More recently, it was disclosed that Barbara Miller-Williams, chairwoman of the Erie County Legislature, is getting ready to retire from her job as a Buffalo police officer.
In preparation, Miller-Williams worked more than $51,000 in overtime, boosting her total annual pay to nearly $128,000 — double her base salary.
This scam is an obvious ripoff of the taxpayers. The question is how will honest Andrew's newfound tough stand play with the locals? Will the local workers that benefit from this scam suddenly shift their loyalties to Carl Paladino? Probably not, since they usually dutifully do whatever they're told to by Brian Higgins. It's one thing to talk tough when they're out at the bars. Here's a chance to put their tough sounding words into action. When Higgins tells them it's in their best interest to support honest Andrew, they will all drop what they're doing and fawn all over him like 12 year old schoolgirls. We'll be watching with interest. Will these tough talking government workers support an independent thinker over an entrenched democrat? Unfortunately, I think we already know the answer to this question. It lies in their genes.
Cuomo probes pension padding : City & Region : The Buffalo News
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