"Stockton on verge of declaring bankruptcy"
By Wyatt Buchanan
San Francisco Chronicle
March 4, 2012
Link: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/03/04/MNPQ1NFBCS.DTL

"Ex-Asst. Sheriff Jaramillo can get back pay"

"The California Supreme Court on Wednesday let stand a ruling that the former second in command to then-Sheriff Michael Carona can collect $362,000."

By Vik Jolly
The Orange County Register
February 23, 2012
Link: http://www.ocregister.com/news/court-341614-county-jaramillo.html


Excerpt (see news article cited directly above):

• "This result is not a just result; it may be a legal result," (Supervisor Shawn Nelson) said. "We're not going to give money away to convicted felons because of legal technicalities. We may need to investigate how we avoid getting sucker punched by Jaramillo again."

Commentary:

• Yet again, the Dirty Pig wins and the Taxpayer loses.

"Disability pensions allow some firefighters to collect while working elsewhere"

By Jeremy Kohler and David Hunn
STLtoday.com
February 19, 2012
Link: http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/disability-pensions-allow-some-firefighters-to-collect-while-working-elsewhere/article_6b69107e-cf70-5d39-bfc0-2c8e6a10df04.html

CalWatchDog.com Exclusive:
"Cal State Lies about Executive Pay"
By John Hrabe 
CalWatchDog.com
March 2, 2012
Link: http://www.calwatchdog.com/2012/03/02/calwatchdog-com-exclusive-cal-state-lies-about-executive-pay/

"Top City of San Diego Pensioner Pulls Down $307,000 (per year)"
By Jen Lebron Kuhney
The San Diego Union-Tribune
February 15, 2012
Link: http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/feb/15/top-city-pensioner-paid-307000/


Top City of San Diego Pensions 2011 (see news article cited directly above)

1. Assistant city attorney $307,758
2. Investment officer $255,509
3. Fire battalion chief $244,435
4. Assistant police chief $242,947
5. City librarian $234,091
6. Fire chief $229,753
7. Fire battalion chief $228,392
8. Deputy city attorney $224,863
9. Fire battalion chief $217,649
10. Assistant Water Department Director $214,007

"Cops edge out firefighters for membership in Costa Mesa $100k Pension Club"
By Will Swaim
Republic of Costa Mesa
February 1, 2012
Link: http://republicofcostamesa.com/2012/02/01/cops-edge-out-firefighters-for-top-spots-in-costa-mesa-100k-pension-club/


Facts (see news article cited directly above):

• Retired deputy fire chiefs Keith Jones ($196,010.04) and Gregg Steward ($192,581.28) received the highest annual pensions.

Commentary:

• Remember, these are NOT annual salary/wage/overtime amounts.
• These are annual PENSION amounts, which will be received every year for the remainder of their life.

"Commit a crime, collect a pension"

"Public employees — including teachers — receive retirement benefits even if they are felons."

By George Skelton

Capitol Journal

Los Angeles Times

February 12, 2012

Link: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-cap-pensions-20120213,0,2131610.column?track=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+latimes%2Fnews%2Flocal+%28L.A.+Times+-+California+%7C+Local+News%29

FLASHBACK: NEVER FORGET


"The Curious Case of Peter Nowicki"
By Dave Horne
Who Stole My Career? (Blog)
May 18, 2011
Link: http://whostolemycareer.com/posts/92/3286-the-curious-case-of-peter-nowicki.html

"Bernie Madoff’s Quarterly Report"
By Jon Fleischman
FlashReport
January 27, 2012
Link: http://www.flashreport.org/blog/2012/01/27/bernie-madoff%E2%80%99s-quarterly-report/

"NJ Homeland Security’s 18 Double-Dippers Nab $9 Million In Pensions"

By Mark Lagerkvist
New Jersey Watchdog
January 16, 2012
Link: http://newjersey.watchdog.org/2012/01/16/homeland-security/

"Philly Councilwoman Will ‘Retire’ For One Day, Collect A $478k Pension, and Return On Monday"

By Becket Adams
The Blaze
December 29, 2011
Link: http://www.theblaze.com/stories/philly-councilwoman-will-retire-for-one-day-collect-a-478k-pension-and-return-on-monday/

"UC salary criticisms fuel student protests"
"Students and some faculty members say the UC system is being run as a private bureaucracy, with executive compensation levels to match."

Headline above, following searchable database, and following charts by The Orange County Register

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SEARCHABLE DATABASE: 2006-10 compensation paid to UC employees
Link: http://www.ocregister.com/articles/faculty-334335-tuition-system.html?data=1


[2/3]

Chart: UC Chancellor Salaries
Link: http://images.onset.freedom.com/ocregister//lxe1jw-lxe1jmucsalaries.gif


[3/3]
Chart: UC Tuition
Link: http://images.onset.freedom.com/ocregister//lxe1gy-lxe1f7ucitution.gif

FLASHBACK: NEVER FORGET


"The Role of the Prison Guards Union in California’s Troubled Prison System"
By Tim Kowal
The League of Ordinary Gentlemen
June 6, 2011
Link: http://ordinary-gentlemen.com/timkowal/2011/06/06/the-role-of-the-prison-guards-union-in-californias-troubled-prison-system/

"Sacramento County CEO's refurnishing includes shoe polisher"
By Brad Branan
The Sacramento Bee
Published: Friday, Jan. 6, 2012 - 12:00 am
Last Modified: Thursday, Jan. 12, 2012 - 2:23 pm
Link: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/01/06/4166679/public-eye-sacramento-county-ceos.html#storylink=scinlineshare


Excerpts (see news article cited directly above):

• Last year, Hudson purchased a $78 shoe polisher with "lamb wool buffers," records show.
• Can't he afford to pay for his own shoeshines?
• Turns out, he probably can. That's because he is collecting a $200,000 annual retirement benefit from the city of Riverside, along with his new Sacramento County CEO salary of $258,000 plus benefits.

Commentary:

• $458,000 in combined annual income. ($200,000 annual pension PLUS $258,000 annual salary, plus benefits)
• Why is he able to begin collecting a pension at such a young age where he is still able to work?
• Public servant? 
• Or, master system manipulator?

"State Sponsored Thievery Continues in Plain Sight"

"Teachers and other public employees use “air time” to pick your pocket. The California State Teachers Retirement System tries calming words. David Crane tells the truth and loses yet another job."

By Larry Sand
Union Watch
January 3, 2012
Link: http://unionwatch.org/state-sponsored-thievery-continues-in-plain-sight/

"New Jersey Prosecutors Employ 125 Double-Dipping ‘Retirees’; They Take $8.6 Million A Year In State Pensions Plus Salaries"

By Mark Lagerkvist
New Jersey Watchdog
January 2, 2012
Link: http://newjersey.watchdog.org/2012/01/02/5314/

GOOD NEWS

"Can California Voters Recoup Excessive Pay, Benefits and Pensions from Current Public Employees?"
By John Eastman
Fox & Hounds
January 11, 2012
Link: http://www.foxandhoundsdaily.com/2012/01/can-california-voters-recoup-excessive-pay-benefits-and-pensions-from-current-public-employees/

"Happy New Year suckers, pay up: Your share of public pension crisis now $424,500"
By Frank Keegan
December 30, 2011
Franklin Center for Government & Public Integrity
Link: http://www.franklincenterhq.org/2914/commentary-happy-new-year-suckers-pay-up-your-share-of-public-pension-crisis-now-424500/

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"With $650K Disability Pension, (New Jersey State Assemblyman) Rible Runs Again"
By Mark Lagerkvist
New Jersey Watchdog
October 24, 2011
Link: http://newjersey.watchdog.org/2011/10/24/4065/


Excerpts (see news article cited directly above):

• Assemblyman David P. Rible retired as a Wall Township police officer at age 31 with a bad back and a fat pension. He’s collected $650,000 in disability payments since a state board decided he was “totally and permanently disabled.” 
• Yet Rible competes in five-mile and five-kilometer runs along the Jersey Shore.
• If the board was to re-evaluate Rible, the legal standard would be whether he would be “considered totally and permanently disabled…from performing (his) normal or assigned job duties or any other position with no possibility for significant improvement.”
• The question is whether Rible is fit for “any other position,” such as a desk assignment or administrative work.
• “The answer is yes,” said Dr. Donald. “Could he do those duties? Of course he can.”

Commentary:

• Any person who receives a disability pension should be required to undergo an annual evaluation to prevent abuses such as this abuse.

[2/2]
"Top 10 Questions to Ask (New Jersey State Assemblyman) Dave (Rible)"
By New Jersey Watchdog
June 29, 2010
Link: http://newjersey.watchdog.org/2010/06/29/top-10-questions-to-ask-dave/

"Disgraced Politicians, Police Among Those Collecting Pensions In Prison"

"Lawmaker's Push For Reform Meets Resistance In Baton Rouge"

By WDSU.com

Posted: 8:49 pm CDT October 28, 2011
Updated: 11:02 pm CDT October 28, 2011
Link: http://www.wdsu.com/news/29620684/detail.html#ixzz1iGBOKvcS