Perry drawing state retirement plus salary

Star-Telegram ^ | December 15, | Maria Recio

[Cincinatus' Wife]

..On a campaign swing through Cherokee, Iowa, Perry was asked why the Employee Retirement System should be paying his retirement while he's still collecting a salary.

"That's been in place for decades. ... I don't find that to be out of the ordinary," Perry said of the practice. "ERS called me and said, 'Listen, you're eligible to access your retirement now with your military time and your time and service, and I think you would be rather foolish to not access what you've earned.'"

...The governor's gross annual salary is $150,000; his net salary is $133,000. The net monthly annuity check Perry started receiving Jan. 31 is $7,698. Combined, his net pay from the state is now more than $225,000 annually.

...."As part of his standard financial planning, on Jan. 31, 2011, Gov. Perry began to receive a Texas state employee retirement annuity of $7,698 per month before taxes ($6,588 net)," [Ray] Sullivan said. "The annuity is consistent with Texas state law and Employee Retirement System rules."

'Rule of 80'

Perry, 61, has a long record of state service, having won election as a state House member, state agriculture secretary and lieutenant governor before becoming governor in 2000.

Sullivan cited what's known by state employees as the "rule of 80," which allows state employees to start drawing on their retirement when their age plus years of public service credit totals at least 80.

"The combination of Gov. Perry's U.S. military service, state service and age exceeded the state-required 80 years and qualified him for the annuity," Sullivan said.

Perry continues to pay 6.5 percent withholding tax from his state salary to the state retirement system, the spokesman added.....

[rfreedom4u]

And where did all Obama’s money and tuition come from?

[altura]

Well, consider the source. ALL of the Texas liberal media hate Rick Perry. They have for years.

The Austin liberals and the media in Texas cannot stand it that Rick Perry is popular, conservative and refuses to be swayed by all their bull.

The Dallas Observer actually blamed Perry for the rise in HIV among young Dallas men. Their reason? He is shutting down the Planned Parenthood clinics.

By the way, the feds are fighting him on that along with a few other things they’re righting Perry on.

[shield]

Perry Ping....

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Per SD
This is just how Rick Perry is. After Hurricane Ike devastated my community, he came here to survey the damage. He did not just walk through here surrounded by security and news cameras and then make a speech. That's not Perry. He showed up in jeans and a work shirt, no cameras, no press conference, and he walked among all of us who had been hit. A hug, a pat on the shoulder, a listening ear, and an encouraging word. He saw to it that emergency shelters were being set up and food and water were available to everyone. When Obama/FEMA refused to help us, Governor Perry set up state funding to help us rebuild our homes and our lives. My home is at 'ground zero' where Ike came ashore. We all took tremendous damage. FEMA sent me a check two months later for $600 dollars. Governor Perry set up the Recovery Fund to help us all rebuild. That is what a true leader and a true Christian does. That's my Governor! I can't wait to see America under the caring wing of Rick Perry.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

Many Perry supporters were Palin supporters before Perry entered the race and Palin decided not to run. He is running and she is not, period! Why are you bashing Perry for something Palin did not do? I think the whole Palin thing is a red herring and that you oppose Perry regardless. If Palin were running most of us would support a Palin/Perry ticket or Perry/Palin ticket.

She is not running. Move on.

[Dudoight]

But, with the Texas budget surplus this year of $1.6 billion:

http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/12/13/3590023/16-billion-surplus-projected-for.html

does someone want to complain about his ‘retirement’ compensation? LOL!

[TexMom7]

The tax revenues for the state of Texas are going up.

Go look at the debt clock, Texas clock is running backwards.

Our Taxes under Perry went down, not up.

And we are projected to have a $ 1.6 Billion surplus.

[Dudoight]

Read this....this is Texas management of state funds:

http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/12/13/3590023/16-billion-surplus-projected-for.html

Now, gripe some more about Perry.

[ngat]

“...including those making a big issue out of this.”

And who are those making a big issue out of this? Texas democrats through their liberal newspapers including the Star-Telegram. Same folks making a big issue of providing accomodations for the Perry family after the fire at the Governor’s mansion.

It’s not working, though.

[Dudoight]

“This is no different than a military man retiring after 20 years in the service or a mailman.”

Well said, normy.

again I refer you to Texas state budget surplus:

http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/12/13/3590023/16-billion-surplus-projected-for.html

I am surprised Perry didn’t refer to this in the debate the other nite.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

The Perrys just paid off one student loan debt (I think Sydney’s) and are still paying off Griffin’s student debt.

Geniuses like Obama and Bill Clinton get “scholarships” to elite indoctrination mills.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Honest ? Now THAT’s funny !

[Dudoight]

http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/12/13/3590023/16-billion-surplus-projected-for.html

Just read this and then talk about shortfalls in Texas. Okay?

[normy]

I have been posting the budget surplus thing too. It’s a big winner.

[BobL]

“Honest ? Now THAT’s funny !”

That is funny. Trans-Texas Corridor, Gardasil, anyone? He’s more associated with Crony Capitalism than any other Republican that I can think of.

[upcountryhorseman]

So what?

[lonestar]

The same people who find fault with Perry taking advantage of what is a legal "retirement" plan, are the same who call him dumb.

If he didn't take advantage of what is rightfully his, I wonder if they would call him "smart?"

[beandog]

I suggest you go back to thinking.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Don’t forget Xavier Rodriguez. What was the quid pro quo for putting a leftist Democrat on the TX Supreme Court ?

[gopheraj]

Actually it is your city that sets your rates for water/sewer. Some cities have lower rates because they have smaller demands on them for services. Not the state. Normally a sewer rate is set during the low water times (no lawn watering) so your;’s should be smaller unless you had a water leak. In that case you need to take it up with the city and have them recalculate your sewer rate.

[Lib-Lickers 2]

if you compare the way Texas has been run over the last ten years with other states Perry ought to get a raise..