Gov. Perry Pockets Salary, Pension

Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry is a so-called double dipper, collecting a state government pension and salary totaling more than $240,000.

Perry’s disclosure that he “retired” this year while still governor of Texas has become somewhat of an issue in the days leading up to the GOP presidential caucuses in Iowa on Tuesday.

Given New Mexico’s distaste for double dipping by public employees, I thought you might want to know more. We banned the practice for most state and local government workers in 2010.

Perry, 61, filed a financial disclosure this month with the Federal Election Commission showing he is collecting an annual state pension of more than $92,000 on top of his yearly governor’s salary of $150,000.

He continues to make pension contributions and will be eligible for a pension increase once he leaves the Governor’s Office, in addition to state-provided health care benefits and Social Security payments, according to published reports.

(This is the same man who says government taxes and spends too much, wants to privatize Social Security, cut Social Security payments and increase the minimum age needed for full Social Security benefits.)

Double dipping is allowed in Texas, but Perry has signed laws that make it more difficult for some government retirees, especially former teachers, to return to work, according to The Dallas Morning News.

“We have a governor who is using government to stuff his pockets while demanding that everyone else make sacrifices,” a spokesman for the Texas State Teachers Association told the newspaper.

Asked by The Texas Tribune news organization why he should be able to collect a government pension and a salary, Perry said, “I think you would be rather foolish to not access what you’ve earned.”

He added, “I don’t find that to be out of the ordinary.”

Under New Mexico’s law enacted in 2010, the pensions of beneficiaries under the Public Employees Retirement Association are suspended if they return to work for PERA-covered agencies.

The law doesn’t apply to public-school teachers and other education workers whose pensions are provided under the Educational Retirement Act. The act has different rules on return to work after retirement.

Before becoming governor 11 years ago, Perry served as lieutenant governor, agriculture commissioner and a member of the state House. He also earned retirement credit for military service.

Perry retired in January under the “employee class” of the Employee Retirement System of Texas and will be eligible to retire under the “elected class” once he leaves the Governor’s Office.

New Mexico state legislators who also are public employees are the only elected officials here who can retire with two separate government pensions.

It is possible New Mexico some day could have a double-dipping governor or other statewide elected official. The prohibition enacted in 2010 doesn’t apply to elected officials.

Depending upon how long she remains in office, Gov. Susana Martinez, who worked more than 20 years as a state prosecutor, could “retire” while still governor.

Currently, she is contributing nearly 11 percent of her $110,000 annual salary to the public employees pension fund.

UpFront is a daily front-page news and opinion column. Comment directly to Thom Cole at tcole@abqjournal.com or 505-992-6280 in Santa Fe. Go to www.abqjournal.com/letters/new to submit a letter to the editor.
— This article appeared on page A1 of the Albuquerque Journal