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Thursday, September 03, 2015

Three-fourths of NJ sheriffs double-dip, led by 25-year 'retiree'

For the past quarter century, Armando Fontoura has been looting a New Jersey state pension fund. But it won’t do any good to call the cops.

Fontoura is sheriff of Essex County. A dean among double-dippers, he draws $207,289 a year from public coffers – $144,896 in salary plus $62,393 from pension as a retiree of his own office.

Today is the 25th anniversary of Fontoura’s faux retirement. So far, he has collected $1.35 million in retirement cash without ever giving up his full-time county paycheck

On Friday, Aug. 31, 1990, Fontoura retired as county undersheriff at age 47. The following Monday, he returned to work at Essex County with the same salary and duties, but a different title – sheriff’s officer chief. One year later, he took charge as sheriff, a post he’s held ever since.

“Does it look bad? Yes,” admitted Fontoura. “No question about it, it looks bad. Was it legal? Yes.”

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13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Crooked cops in Jersey. Is anyone surprised?

Anonymous said...

They're doing it here as well. What you think Lewis is doing? Pulling a pension from msp and full pay as our absentee Sheriff!

Anonymous said...

Politicians do the same thing.

Anonymous said...

Wicomico county has a star at this - Matthew Creamer. He has ruined this county and Cannon is allowing it to continue, which makes his decision making skills questionable. The amount of comp time pay and benefits given to department heads and senior staff is bankrupting us. The good ole boys have/are laughing all the way to the bank while the regular employees get no pay raises. Someone needs to get a FOIA on now much payout Mackes, Mackle, Baker and Morris got at retirement.

Anonymous said...

Politicians do this all the time. When they are no longer re-elected they get "jobs" at universities as "consultants, part-time professors or sit on the Board of Directors" at ridiculous salaries while collecting their pension. Maryland is famous for this.OweMalla works for Johns Hopkins for big bucks.

Anonymous said...

Nothing crooked about it. They deserve EVERY penny!

Anonymous said...

If they didn't get the job, someone else would, and lost would be the experience and the institutional knowledge, and maybe a good working administrative structure. The company/municipality saves money (at least $40,000 annually) on the benefits that the person already has in the retirement package. Who's the loser?

Anonymous said...

A pension is earned. So after earning that pension getting another job.... Elected or not is wrong? Isn't the point in life to work and make money? So at a certain age we can retire? I can't stand Lewis. I'll flat out say it. He is a worthless arrogant pompous. But nothing wrong with it if that's what's happening.

Anonymous said...

2:53

people like you make me want to vomit.

Anonymous said...

There are double dippers through the federal government, and have been for years. The Vets double dip, even when their military jobs did not make them eligible for the government jobs they now hold. The Vets get preferential treatment when jobs are available, regardless of their experience.
Really no reason why they can't do the same on state and local levels. If it okay to double dip in one house, okay to double dip in all houses. Lead by example, or follow the pied piper

Anonymous said...

DUH. EVERYONE of them do it everywhere. Not news. The fireman are just as bad. Government jobs .

Anonymous said...

Why do you think you have to know,blow ,or pay to get the job average people will never get. POLITICS 101

Anonymous said...

Gee...this must be one of our local double dippers. Thank you SPD