Now even the major statewide newspaper which bears on its masthead the words "Arkansas Democrat" has been forced to take note and has commented on the dalliances of the Arkansas Democrat Governor.
The following referenced press release by the Arkansas Republican Party highlights the situation. Indeed, it must be difficult for the leadership at the Republican Party of Arkansas not to gloat after having seen the numerous unfounded attacks on the newly elected Republican Secretary of State.
Governor Mike Beebe’s Failed Leadership on
Double Dipping, Shane Broadway Appointment
“IS THIS what Governor Mike Beebe calls transparency in government?”
What’s in a name? Wordgames in state governmentArkansas Democrat-Gazette, 9/15/11
“…Just how much double-dipping is there in state government? The story by Michael Wickline on the front page of Sunday’s paper reported that at least 4,100 rehired retirees — excuse us, working retirees — can still be found in state government. They cost Arkansas taxpayers a total of $89.4 million in salaries last fiscal year, and $84.1 million in pension payments. Which works out to an average salary of $21,800 a year plus an average annual pension of $20,500. Or a total of some $42,300 a year per employee.
It’s not easy to tell just which double-dippers are drawing just how much from the state treasury. To do that, you’d have to know their top pay grade for 36 months, how many years they put in before “retiring,” and the formula used to calculate their pension benefits.
To do all that, to quote Allen Kerr, a state representative from Little Rock who’s been trying to reform this system for years without much success, “You just about would have to hire a retirement actuary.”
There’s no way to just call up a handy website, type in a name, and find out exactly how much each of these double-dippers is costing you the taxpayer. That would be too simple, too direct, too open. No sense making it easy for the public to find out what its state government is doing—and for whom.
IS THIS what Governor Mike Beebe calls transparency in government? It sounds more like obfuscation in government. Like claiming his choice of a political buddy as director of higher education in Arkansas fulfilled the legal requirement. Really? In its official opinion this week, the state attorney general’s office took a different view, concluding that the director had to be appointed through a search and-select process and have actual experience in higher education. Just as the law says. Who says lawyers can’t see the obvious?
There’s a simple enough solution to the continuing embarrassment and outrage called double-dipping: Just give all these rehired retirees—by whatever name—the same choice so many of us who don’t work for state government have: Either retire and collect benefits or stay on the job and keep collecting a salary. One or the other. Which sounds fair enough. Instead of letting all these rehired retirees do both, that is, doubledip. It’s not the labels that need changing but the system itself.
The state legislature could fix this problem—if it had the will. And if the state had a strong leader instead of a governor who may be for economical government in the abstract, but shows little interest in actually reforming a tricky arrangement that undermines public confidence in state government—and in him.”
Read Full Editorial.
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