Win the freaking lottery did he?
A lot of people don’t realize that many city governments across the nation in competing with state positions that pay more and against the private sector which also can pay more, find the equalizer in giving pensions that are gross-to-gross equivelent to making 75 to 95% of the highest salary the retired city employee made at their highest rate.
I have a freind who was the second ranking city attorney in a medium sized city and in discussing how modest his income was during his working years explained the trade off to me using his actual numbers.
I had to agree that he got screwed during his working years compared to private practice peers as accomplished as he was and that I saw the retirement date and amount as a big equalizer for his type of position. However, department clerks and meter readers get a high percentage as well and there is the real cost mounting up.