Heard in the Hall

The DROP parade continues....

6 comments

The DROP parade continues....

POSTED: Thursday, July 3, 2008, 6:21 PM

Jeff Shields

Council members Jack Kelly and Donna Reed Miller have joined five of their colleagues in the city’s deferred retirement option plan, a controversial pension perk that critics say wasn’t meant for elected officials.
Kelly, 70, and Miller, 61, will begin accruing their pensions over the next four years while also being paid their City Council salary of $110,000.
They can collect those four years of payments in a lump-sum at the end of four years or when they leave office. Councilwoman Joan Krajewski, who joined DROP four years ago collected her lump-sum without leaving office by retiring for one day in January and then beginning another four-year term in office.
The total on Council in DROP is now seven. Other Council members in the program are Council President Anna C. Verna, Majority Leader Marian B. Tasco, Frank DiCicco and Frank Rizzo. It’s not clear whether all will retire or seek reelection in 2011.
Critics say DROP was intended to keep valuable, veteran employees working, and not as a plum for elected officials (Mayor John F. Street, District Attorney Lynne Abraham, Sheriff John Green and City Commissioner Margaret Tartaglione also joined DROP). But legislation by Councilman Bill Green to bar public officials — his senior colleagues would be grandfathered — has gone nowhere. It appears that his opposition is approaching the majority of nine that would make sure it remains there.

6 comments

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Comments (6)

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 7:28 AM, 07/04/2008

When I think of these (and the others) elected officials taking advantage of a program which was not intended for them I am reminded of a friend who found a twenty dollar bill, and knowing who it belonged to spent it anyway. Guilty pleasures he said. Sadly, I know some of these people personally (I grew up with Frank DiCicco), and I am embarassed for them. If it were me I would equate what they are doing with stealing, and as much as I might want to also do some stealing, I believe I would not.

— Olney Falcon

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 8:39 AM, 07/04/2008

politicians should be there to serve the people - but they are there to serve themselves.. they should be ashamed of themselves - but they know no shame. krawjewski retires for one day - just to collect...just to beat the system...once politicians were looked up to and respected..what does this say about her and her character..what type of example does she set to her constituents..i got mine - you get yours..again no shame from her or the others...nothing but thieves

— gogglespaisano

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 12:01 PM, 07/05/2008

Another Nutter reform bill dropped. (har har) Does it seem like he isn't willing to take on City Hall?

— Adam Lang

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 12:02 PM, 07/05/2008

You know, it's one thing to rightfully excoriate these politicians, who behave as pigs at the trough, but what about Mayor Nutter, who had the chance to take on this issue? Councilman Green did have a piece of legislation to bar elected officials from partaking, and Nutter let this drop, as he did the other reform bill that Councilman Rizzo had championed. What gives, Nutter? You're becoming a serious disappointment. A little less rockstar, a little more work, thank you.

— anon

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 5:29 PM, 07/05/2008

The only good thing to come of this is that there will be many new people on city council in 2011, though, much won’t change much. I heard last week that Tasco, Diccicco and Verna all have young people currently working for them on council who they will be running to replace their current bosses. I also heard that Oneill will be running a young guy who works for him for one of the at large seats. So I’m guessing power structure on council will change very little.

— JimMcBrook

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 4:00 PM, 07/06/2008

Actually Jim, if you see what Krajewski and Tartaglione did, just because you take DROP, it doesn't mean you can't run for office again. There is nothing saying those 7 people won't be in office again.

— Adam Lang