Quote:
Originally Posted by Kobi
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — As a lobbyist in New York's statehouse, Stephen Acquario is doing pretty well. He pulls down $204,000 a year, more than the governor makes, gets a Ford Explorer as his company car and is afforded another special perk:
Even though he's not a government employee, he is entitled to a full state pension.
He's among hundreds of lobbyists in at least 20 states who get public pensions because they represent associations of counties, cities and school boards, an Associated Press review found. Legislatures granted them access decades ago on the premise that they serve governments and the public. In many cases, such access also includes state health care benefits.
But several states have started to question whether these organizations should qualify for such benefits, since they are private entities in most respects: They face no public oversight of their activities, can pay their top executives private-sector salaries and sometimes lobby for positions in conflict with taxpayers. New Jersey and Illinois are among the states considering legislation that would end their inclusion.
http://news.yahoo.com/private-lobbyi...140450550.html
-------- |
Wow! I did not know this was going on. I don't think this is the case in California. I don't think private sector employees should get public employees benefits and retirement. (BTW, if you are following the current Public Employment Retirement Benefits discussion, I am sure you have realized by now that the highest monthly retirement checks are mostly in local governments, cities, counties. Public Safety, police and fire receive above the amount of "miscellaneous employees.")
Even if this practice of providing public employee benefits to lobbyist is terminated, many will still receive the public employee benefits. Why? Many of the lobbyist have served as elected and appointed public officials previously before becoming lobbyist.