As published in the Winter Park/Maitland Observer, Thursday Jan. 3, 2012 Edition Offers... Read More »
Government Waste Alert: The Florida Double-Dip
The St. Petersburg Times has an op-ed piece on government waste titled Florida Taxpayers Get Played for Turkeys:
Gluttony isn’t limited to the Thanksgiving table this holiday season. Seminole Community College president Ann McGee is set to become the latest official in Florida overfeeding at the public trough by double-dipping. She and the college’s board of trustees apparently see no harm in treating the public like a bunch of turkeys. The only solace is that at least by July there will be some restrictions.
The Orlando Sentinel reported that McGee will get an early Christmas present on Dec. 1, a $409,000 lump sum payout from the state pension plan for “retiring.” But on New Year’s Day, with the blessing of the college’s board, she’ll be rehired and receive her annual $300,000 in salary and benefits. Plus, she will begin collecting an annual $160,000 pension from the Florida Retirement System.
Fortunately for Ms. McGee, she’s getting her little golden parachute/platinum balloon before this brand of taxpayer fleecing becomes criminal:
Such a scheme will be illegal starting July 1. Florida lawmakers finally acted in the public interest this spring by taking steps to curb double-dipping.
I hate to sound like a dusty DVD, but this kind of abuse/incompetence is rampant in bureaucracies and why I think taxpayers who favor tax increases are a couple of members short of a quorum.
Here’s my short letter to all bureacracies:
To Whom it May Concern,
Clean up the waste. Fix the corruption. Then come to me and ask for a raise.
By the way, I will send the letter “certified mail, return receipt requested” because bureacracies have this irksome habit of losing things.
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Seminole County Florida has a school choice option at the elementary level called “Choices”. Choices allows elementary school children a 7 school option whereby children residing next door to an elementary school can be bussed to a school further away. This has nothing to do with special needs or diversity. Rather, it is a choice that I can have. My choice would be, as a taxpayer, to stop bussing elementary school children all over the county, and rather, promote a neighborhood school concept with diversity, equality, or whatever is needed to show equity in the schools.