ALBANY – Even while telling New Yorkers to pony up $1.3 billion more next year to cover soaring pension costs, Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli is advertising on his official Website how government workers can game the system.
DiNapoli’s helpful message “Life Changes: How do I… Prepare to Retire?” provides state workers a veritable how-to guide to pension padding. One jaw-dropping section titled “Increasing Your Final Average Salary — A Raise is Not the Only Way” encourages the practice of overtime spiking in which veteran workers pile on extra hours to pad their retirement benefits.
The document, which was reported today by the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, seems to put the Democratic comptroller at odds with party standard-bearer Attorney General Andrew Cuomo who has made reining in pension abuse – overtime spiking in particular – a theme in his campaign for governor.
DiNapoli spokesman Dennis Tompkins said the "Message from Thomas P. DiNapoli," which was last updated in July 2009, points public workers to benefits they already have coming.
"This is not encouraging overtime spiking - It's saying that if you work the overtime you should get credit for it," Tompkins said. "We're not trying to drive up costs. We have a responsibility to make sure that they get all the benefits they're entitled to. All were doing is advising them what's available to them under law."
Just yesterday, DiNapoli praised the creation last year of a new less-generous pension tier that, among other things, seeks to control overtime spiking for new workers. He made the remarks while announcing that pension fund losses would force taxpayers to cover a 37 percent increase in pension fees.
DiNapoli has enthusiastically touted the endorsement of leading public employee unions while defending his seat against Republican Harry Wilson, a former hedge fund manager.
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