If you live in Wicomico County did you know that it has a "defined benefit" pension plan for the retired county employees and those now employed when they retire? That requires a specific amount of payment obligation that must be funded come rain or come shine.
It’s the same type of pension plan that has now driven California and other places to the brink of bankruptcy – and that could happen here if it’s not stopped soon by appropriate action. But don’t look for Rick Pollitt to take the lead in pushing for any significant change – the County Exec. position is eligible to participate in the County’s pension plan (did you know that?).
Now Pollitt has proposed a scheme that would knock off 5 years from the time someone must work for the County before hopping on the gravy train. The purpose is to get older employees to leave, but if the position is filled, even at a lower pay level, does the County wind up paying even more?
PS, See Post Below.
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29 comments:
Gravy Train??
How bout it's called a retirement! If someone works for the County for their entire career they are entitled to retirement benefits! Get a life
Who determined that the position of executive was eligible for retirement? I didn't realize an elected position warranted retirement. How about the council?
Is the Salisbury mayor eligible also?
11:37-
Spoken like a true public servant slopping at the public trough.
Yes - Salisbury Council Members and the Mayor (which is also in the Teacher's Pension) are in the pension system...actually it is state pension law that the State of MD requires elected officials of participating units to become members of the pension system.
11:59 - You need to take into account that those who work for the County take less pay in exchange for the benefits offered. Less pay and worse benefits than the private sector? Nobody would work for government.
12:15-
Another P. S. -- your benefits and your pay are probably more than you would ever make in the private sector. And when is the last time a County went out of business or bankrupt?
@12:35 - Not all of us are blue collar guys out there. Some of us can make a lot more in the private sector, but choose not to (and sometimes have no idea why).
Public service career should come with some benefit - just like it does with working for a private company.....less and less are funding full retirement plans and more and more are going to an employee participation model.
Our county should get with the program...and the voters should demand it.
No more or no less that an equivalent in the private sector.
What you need to realize is that the county employees contibute a hefty hunk towards their retirement. It is not a free ride. Their money is invested through Aetna. While the county may contibute a portion, the employees pay for their retirement. It is not "slopping at the government trough". If the county employees have it so good, where were have all of you been when they were trying to hire over the years and nobody would apply because the pay sucks?
Sorry 1:00pm but if you were any good and could make more in the private sector you would do it! I know plenty of folks that moved on to the private sector because they were too good for government sector. Take crying some where else where the people believe you cause most of the people here know better.
The retirement fund is in good shape. If you are going to compare it to California, compare all aspects. What is their employee requird portion? In private sector, companies match their 401's. Why shouldn't county employees have some type of pension? If you really analyze the details of their benefits, you will find that they are equivalent, or even less in some respects, to that of private sector.
Joe, you are wrong. It does not knock 5 years off. They have reached their normal retirement date. The incentive is 5 years tacked on to their years of service so that they leave. This amounts to an increased benefit of 10%. There is no cash incentive. Just 5 years added as an incentive. They still have to have reached their normal retirement.
Just to give some of you an idea. I have worked for Wicomico County for over 10 years. (by the way, I am not on the clock) I don't make very much money, but my mandatory contribution to the retirement plan is over $200 per month. How is that a gravy train, or the public trough.
Missing the point here? Rick Pollitt is elected by the people to serve the people. Every four years the people can choose to elected him again or not. What gives him the right to draw a pension? Do the members of the council draw a pension too?
The benefit is defined. Your benefit is directly related to your salaries and YEARS OF SERVICE. If you only worked for 4 years or 8 years, your "pension" would be pretty insignificant. Are you under the assumption that he is going to get a full pension? Because he is not, unless he works atleast 25 years.
3:24
No, the County Council people are not eligible to get a county pension and not very many people knew that other county elected officials, like the executive, the sheriff and the state's attorney can get in the county's pension plan.
If the county employees got what they deserve they would get nothing. Of course not counting the police dept. , who earns their money.
Well here we go. I cant stand and sit and listen to these mental midgets any longer. Anyone who thinks working for Wicomico County is a blessing does not "work" there. Yes there are the chosen few that see on thier brains doing nothing for 2/3 of the day.
The only person that got fat working for this county was Ray Lewis and Co.
People wake up. This county was screwed Wayyyyyyyyyyyy before Rick Pollitt showed up. There has been monies lost in the millions then found later. Right Matt Craemer. Craemer and his buddies Sharma and Peterson made out. They all should have went to jail with Lewis. period.
Good Ole Boy and nepatism saved them.
Lets look a little deeper. Prettyman and Barkovich are two common denominators here. W.T.F. have they done for the good of the cause ? No really site something of major accomplishment. They have been around for a while watching this county sink deeper into debt.
Holloway busted the big pen caper. Then busted a Judge on a high dollar trash can. Hmmmmmm. I guess you use what God gave ya. Cant ask for much more than that. It would be like asking an elephant to fly.
We are the hub of the Eastern Shore. What the hell has been going on for the last twenty years. Thank God we are not boarder town down south the illegals would be lining up to get the hell out of here.
Let me clear up what this so called "early" retirement is....for people already able to retire. If the county truely wanted to cut expenses and payroll, they would of rooted a little deeper and made sure ALL employees who have worked at least 25 years (vested into the retirement the entire time or not) were offered this "early" retirement. The $70,000 jobs would of been cleared and replaced by the $20,000 jobs. Now...wouldn't that make a true difference in the budget? Come on Rick Pollitt and county council....if you're going to do this, do it right and save some real money!!!! Give that 5 years as a credit to the retirement date itself so if you were to retire anytime before 2016, you could retire NOW! Or...credit the age 5 years so if you're 50...you will be credit as if you were age 55. This can be done an done correctly if some thought is put into all angles.
While Rick and the County Council are discussing retirements, wouldn't it be nice if they directed their attention tho the Detention Center. Those people work with inmates cussing, spitting, urinating, fighting, throwing feces, etc., with the officers day in and day out. It would be nice if consideration would be given to this group for early retirement especially due to the fact of the work conditions. How can they be expected to tolerate these conditions for 25+ years? It is a brutal job and unless you've experienced it, you really can't comment. The county needs to take care of this group of employees. State of Maryland and Worcester County have 20 year retirements for Corrections because they do know that people can only take so much stress. Think about it Wicomico County!
6:33 -- what about Rick's "public information officer" and baggage carrier -- will this payoff get rid of him, too?
9:14, it is for ALL employees who have worked atleast 25 years. They didn't select certain employees. You have to draw the line somewhere. This incentive makes sense. It will get rid of the highest paid positions and allow for lower paid employees to move up, and possibly consolidate positions. I doubt that your scenario of a $70,000 dollar job can be replaced by a $20,000 dollar job can pan out. For instance, if you were an accountant, would you work for $20,000? No.
I decided to live here on the Eastern Shore after I graduated from college. It used to be a really nice place to live. Crime is out of control in Salisbury. The Police do what they can I guess, the Courts are pretty much a joke, and the Detention Center deals with everything in between and more.
This latest retirement gimmick is nothing more than that. There are people all over this County/City making 100k plus off of the government.
After five years of working for this County I can expect the following...
No raise, no cost of living increase, no promotion, no advancement, furlough days (another gimmick, where my paycheck shows x but my salary is $2,300 less and yet I still pay full taxes on it as if it wasn't auto deducted from my pay check---see unions in WI, which the jail does not have any such thing).
So my motivation to stay around this town is pretty D@mn low at this point. I would talk about the morale at the local jail but there isn't any left, well maybe from the inmates.
There should be a "toure de jaile" day, so that the citizens of this city can meet all the blood tre top piru gang members, prostitutes, crack /herion/presription addicts, murders, theives, child killers/rapists, mentally insane and the other fun involved in working at a prison (which happens to be one of the largest County jails in MD).
But I digress.
The millions lost and later found? Could it have possibly been used for a personal investment that was later paid back.....you know an interest free loan???
Pllleaassee. Why do you think Craemer was brought back with a 10,000 salary above the position salary and a chance at a second pension, signed off by the fabulous JC. He was put in place as a stopper of this whole new process....God knows they would not want transparency on the past dealings because collusion is collusion.....everyones hands are dirty.
9:14 Just a note that the retirement incentive is NOT for people with 25+ years of service, it's for people who have been vested with the retirement 25+ years. I can assure you 30 years ago, when the pay was $9,000 a year, there was no cushion to contribute to the retirement system, so MANY did not begin contributing to the retirement system until years later, even though they have been employed 25+ years. Again I say the retirement incentive should be geared to ALL employees who have worked 25+ years. As far as the $20,000....I can assure you there are MANY in this day and time who would jump at a $20,000 a year job with benefits, especially starting out.
Morale at WCDC. What morale. There is none. It has been stumped so deep into the ground, the farmers are digging it up with the cow sh!t so it can be used to fertilize the land. If they know what we know, nothing will grow. This county is so corrupted.
The Salisbury mayor is considered a part time job. How is he eligible for a pension? Many say that a part time position shouldn't warrant health care, seems the rules are different depending who you are.
09:23 pm,
You're talking non sense.
Name one person at WCDC with 25 or more years of employment and 25 or more years of retirement investment with wicomico county whom actually worked around the blood, tre, top piru gang members, prostitutes, crack / herion / presription addicts, murders, theives, child killers / rapists, mentally insane individuals every single work day and are part of the retirement system.
None.
This group has spent their entire 25 or more years sitting behind a desk investing 5 to 10 years into retirement fund.
Now, name the C. O.'s at WCDC with 20 or more years of employment whom actually worked around the blood, tre, top piru gang members, prostitutes, crack / herion / presription addicts, murders, theives, child killers / rapists, mentally insane individuals every single work day and are NOT part of the retirement system because they couldn't afford to join OR the indivduals who were able to invest 5 to 10 years of their 20 or more years of service into the retirement programs.
There are plenty of them.
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