SC

Orangeburg SC’s “Bureaucratic Shuffle”

HOW LOCAL PUBLIC OFFICIALS ROLL … WITH YOUR MONEY A pair of six-figure government employees in Orangeburg, S.C. will retire for one day at the end of this year – and then be rehired by city government on February 1, 2013 at their old salaries. Why the one month “retirement?”…

HOW LOCAL PUBLIC OFFICIALS ROLL … WITH YOUR MONEY

A pair of six-figure government employees in Orangeburg, S.C. will retire for one day at the end of this year – and then be rehired by city government on February 1, 2013 at their old salaries.

Why the one month “retirement?” Both employees are taking advantage of a state law enabling them to “double-dip” on taxpayers by drawing state retirement benefits as well as salary from local government.  As a result of this “double dipping,” Orangeburg city administrator John Yow will continue to receive his $169,000 a year salary along with an annual retirement benefit of at least $64,800.

That’s $233,800 a year, people – not counting health care coverage and other benefits.

Meanwhile Orangeburg’s public utilities manager Tommy Miller – who makes $140,000 a year – will continue to receive his salary along with an unspecified annual retirement benefit.  Why unspecified?  Because according to The (Orangeburg, S.C.) Times and Democrat, Miller refused to disclose the amount – referring to it as “private.”

Um, NO …

These are public officials.  Not only that, their retirement two-steps were expressly approved by Orangeburg City Council.  There’s nothing “private” about it … although there is plenty about it that’s contemptible.

We have no problem with state employees working for as long as they are able to discharge their duties … assuming those duties are core functions of government, of course.  But this practice of paying retirement benefits to people who haven’t retired is shameful.

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50 comments

Lance Riprock December 21, 2012 at 3:26 pm

So, Sic, when you worked for that smarmy Yankee, did you participate in the state retirement system? There’s walking the walk, and there’s talking the talk.

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Thinker December 21, 2012 at 7:04 pm

That is a benefit to the conversation.

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Lex Leads December 21, 2012 at 9:58 pm

Lexungton 1 School superintendent Karen Woodward and a cabal of educates in that district are guilty of this too. This whole process pervades the state at the expense of taxpayers. It’s shameful…

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Lex Leads December 21, 2012 at 10:23 pm

Educrats…..

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Pelion Pete December 21, 2012 at 10:28 pm

Well, if you dare attack Woodward or the slimy Lex 1 leeches they turn their machine on; claim you hate kids and education; and make the story die. Wouldn’t surprise me if those hayseeds manipulated test scores to cover their asses. As long as they can show results they can steal us blind.

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SoccerMa December 21, 2012 at 10:40 pm

Just wait….their shill Mary Hill will be on here shortly telling us we’re all full of shit. But we know better. Only a matter of time before the lid gets blown off. Its been years in the making. Dooley isn’t around to protect them anymore.

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BOHICAJOE December 21, 2012 at 10:44 pm

You got that right. She’s a royal bi–h.

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BigT December 21, 2012 at 3:32 pm

Orangeburg is the SECOND (to Richland) most Democrat majority voting-rich county in SC…

Democrats = Corruption-Failure- Poverty…

That message is LOUD AND CLEAR!!!!

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Thinker December 21, 2012 at 6:25 pm

BigT should we look over the past 10 years of Republican leadership in SC?

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scsince60 December 21, 2012 at 7:02 pm

Thinker, yo sho tickles me an ma babies. Isun you gonst to tells me to votes fo a Demercrat? Yawzaa I do asin yo sez. Yassuu.

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SCMinority December 22, 2012 at 6:04 am

Lil T = Fool = Idiot = Dummy!
Lil T, Keep it stupid, dummy!

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LD December 22, 2012 at 9:10 am

This isn’t limited to Richland/Orangeburg. It is a statewide problem. Those wonderful conservatives dreamed up the “TERI” program. Those wonderful conservatives allow those on the state retirement plan to retire based on their three highest years of compensation. The 28 years needed can include the following: years spent driving a school bus, time spent in the national guard, any part-time job with a county government (including elected positions), school board. There are ways to get 2 or 3 years credit in a single year, if you have a part time position with one agency, serve as an elected offical in another “agency or county” and be on a board of another regional/county/municipal board.

Basically, you can be on a school board for 15 years at $ 50 per month and have part-time position in a county for $ 5,000 per year for 10 years (these positions run concurrent), get a job as a county administrator for 3 years, then retire with full benefits based on the last 3 years while only actually being in the system for 18 years.

The system is screwed. The people that could change it won’t and those are your dear old conservative Republicans. Why– because they are a bunch of hypocrits. They preach cutting spending on anything that doesn’t benefit them personally.

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Old Bike Dude December 21, 2012 at 3:39 pm

So you think this only happens in Orangeburg?

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Tammy December 21, 2012 at 10:17 pm

Like someone else posted, this shit has been going on in Lexington school district one for years. Dr. Karen Woodward is biggest double dipper around. Sucks off the Lexington One taxpayers but lives in Lexington 3 so doesn’t have to pay the taxes. Check out the Lexington Chronicle articles in this regard.

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Homer Simpson December 21, 2012 at 4:05 pm

Heck, I thought for a minute you might be talking about the Cayce Police Dept. Half the command staff is double dipping. The Chief, Major, several Lts., a couple Sgts. No moving up the ladder here.

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Joe Wilson Is A Very Smart Man December 21, 2012 at 4:07 pm

Are there any Republicans in Cayce?

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Pelion Peanut December 21, 2012 at 10:01 pm

There are none in Springdale either. Neither Republicans or RINOs claim Joe Wilson. You can call yourself whatever you want but Joe Wilson is the state IDIOT.

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SoccerMa December 21, 2012 at 10:34 pm

Regardless of where he is he’s an idiot. Saw him and Jake Knotts huddled in a corner at Flight Deck a few months ago. Those two together don’t have an IQ of 10. Birds of a feather flock together.

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Mike at the Beach December 21, 2012 at 5:03 pm

You anti-guv types are genuinely fixated on the double-dipping crowd. You really can let it go now, though. That whole system is D-E-A-D dead as of January 2013. That’s why they’re jumping on it now…

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scsince60 December 21, 2012 at 6:52 pm

A bunch a wuthless jigs on da payroll am good fo me yassu. We is sho titled to dat dere jobs. We is in da big house now fo shu. We is argunt now an proud as peacocks. Ahuh Ahuh!!!

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Jiggernaut December 21, 2012 at 10:07 pm

You must be Joe Wilson!

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Tammy December 21, 2012 at 10:10 pm

Or Butch Wallace. It does sound like a conversation one would have with Wilson only there is more than one sentence. Joe struggles with more than one. By the way, if Joe or Butch Wallace move their lips they’re lying.

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Garth December 21, 2012 at 10:22 pm

Both of those clowns together couldn’t figure out how to find their way out of a bag. Wilson is a moron and Wallace the ugly sack of shit idiot. Lives off those Rotary meals where he does nothing but make Joe look bad if that’s even possible.

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Knotts December 21, 2012 at 11:03 pm

Gay.

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Aiken December 22, 2012 at 8:59 am

Not the whole lot of Congressmen from SC are worth a damn, but how the hell did Aiken County get screwed by inheriting that poster child for imbeciles Joe Wilson? Thank you legislature for the big Fuck You to Aiken.

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question December 21, 2012 at 8:15 pm

Isn’t this the Terry program? If so, it is the biggest rip off that we don’t care anything about. We deserve the government we have. We have the government we deserve.

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vicupstate December 21, 2012 at 8:19 pm

If the folks in question simply retired and someone else was hired for their old positions, the cost would be the same unless the new hires were paid less than what the retirees were making.

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SC Employee Advocate December 21, 2012 at 8:47 pm

There is no reason to blame those that take advantage of the opportunity afforded them legally under the system. But what was an enticement to retain very experienced employees from retiring and going to the private sector rapidly evolved into a carte blanche system of a majority of those elgible to retire from the top down doing so and coming back to their former position. This is due to agency heads not having the balls to say yes to one outstanding employee and no to an underserving employee. When you repeatedly rehire retired employees to their former positions you effectively create a bottleneck preventing promotional opportunites for outstanding younger employees. I saw the writing on the wall and I, in my late twenties, departed for the private sector not long after this system first began and fortunately advanced rapidly. Sadly, what I saw developing held true to form and I now have conversations with former friends of mine that had outstanding supervisory potential still sitting in their same positions in their late thirties……and everyone from their supervisor on up to the agency head has retired and returned under this program. What a waste!! I loved my job and agency and still miss it and the people that truly cared about their job but I would not abide by this system. Regretfully, many rehired retirees (not all, but many) treat the job as a hobby and their heart is not fully into their duties as it would be a newly minted supervisor who is excited for the opportunity afforded them.

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MUSC Boondoggle December 21, 2012 at 9:28 pm

You would never believe how overutilized this system is at MUSC in Charleston. So many deadwood faculty just continue doing nothing to double dip in state retirement and continue working. Should be eliminated immediately.

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Carrefour December 21, 2012 at 10:06 pm

FITS should look at the travesty in Lex school district 1. Woodward double dips plus car, gas, clothing, annuity and who knows what else. Lexington Chronicle and Dispatch News have been on this rape of the taxpayers for years. Don’t have to go to MUSC to see this fleecing.

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Homer Simpson December 22, 2012 at 6:49 am

Well said.

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shifty henry December 22, 2012 at 8:31 am

Absolutely correct!

Although there are some positions (I know a few of these employees)where unique knowledge is needed and where there is only a clerical staff person to support that employee – no one waiting for promotion.

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SparkleCity December 21, 2012 at 9:26 pm

Hey!!!!

It’s South Carolina!!!

“Aw eihhhh”!!!!!

“Heh-Heh-Heh” (Complements of “Oh Bother Where Art Thou”)

Best fucking movie of “90’s & 00’s”!!!

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Brian December 21, 2012 at 9:44 pm

Richard Ecksterom, Hugh Leatherman and Converse Chellis sat on the B and C Board and did nothing as this fleecing of the public robbed hundreds of millions of dollars from our pension trust fund.

They should be placed in stocks on the statehouse grounds and ridiculed. But instead they are collecting pensions of their own.

Disgusting.

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BOHICAJOE December 21, 2012 at 10:43 pm

Joe Wilson = fleecing of public trust. Impersonates a congressman.

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Dumbfounded. December 21, 2012 at 10:43 pm

This is rampant in Beaufort County!

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Old Bike Dude December 22, 2012 at 8:52 am

True, true. Especially among LEOs and Fire Departments. Both of these are known locally for low pay and a dire need for experienced leadership. So maybe not so bad as in other areas.

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Corruption Gone Wild In SC December 22, 2012 at 1:09 am

Former SC State Magistrate Jack Guidalia pulled this same crap. He never was even qualified to be a state judge in the first place. Check out his history.

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Recovering Lobbyist December 22, 2012 at 8:18 am

This is the result of the TERI program. It was intended to retain top talent but like any good deed, it has not gone unpunished. It has been used widely throughout state government as well as local governments which also participate in the state retirement system. The program needs to be ended but the public employee lobby, and their allies in the legislature, has been successful in blocking legislation that would end the program.

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Aiken December 22, 2012 at 8:53 am

TERI has been a disaster in promoting the so called double dippers at the expense of taxpayers. The Lexington Chronicle has for years documented abuse of the TERI act in Lexington, most notably by their school superintendent and other high ranking personnel in the school district. This is a program that was designed as a temporary solution to retain qualified personnel but has been abused to double pay people for years and years. This program is a fiscal travesty and needs to be scrapped.m

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Knotts About Lexington December 22, 2012 at 9:16 am

Actually he won’t be too bad. Joe’s too stupid to fuck anything up and whatever he can get his hands on that belongs to or benefits Lexington County he will give away to Aiken just like he maneuvered to redirect Lexington road money to Beaufort. Joe will unleash his pit bull Butch on y’all and he will expect to be fed for free at all your events in return for telling you Joe can’t do anything for you, the Dems have marginalized his ability to be effective, and he doesn’t have any legislation he sponsored that benefits the district. He will shill for money and happily take it to keep his job while doing nothing to help you keep yours.

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BigT December 22, 2012 at 10:30 am

FITS waxes Hatefully about the Bass-Acwardness of SC. What this Brain-Dead F*%k-Up does NOT get…is that the democrats he most Sucks are the Armpits of SC…

PS: I remember when Sanford Defiantly REJECTED funding for a memorial to fallen Law Officers (Circa 2003)…then he went around the back and lavished barrowed money on SC State to the Cherers of the Leftwing Zealots at The State newspaper…

That is FILTHY and deceitful…It’s why people Loathe self-called Republicans….

The Law abiding put that Piece of Cheating $#!* in office, while the SC State Eff-Ups ravaged his sorry @$$…yet he sought praise from the Takers at the expense of the Doers…

That is FITS and Sanford…and the Coward portion of the GOP…

We need to Totally ERADICATE that kind of Bull$#!*…and the Republicans will Rule for Decades…by ACTING like what they claim they are when running…The GOP wins…

Being Sanford is a Disgrace…

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Eat it December 23, 2012 at 9:42 am

You all are retarted. How is this any different than say a Marine retiring from the Corps then taking a job in state or lcal government? There is nothing wrong with this system. I like the idea that we can retain people, who would otherwise retire and be impossible to replace, and provide an option to continue to work while receiving fair compensation.

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lawmeister December 23, 2012 at 10:04 am

If the person retired from the marines then went back to work in their same capacity with the government and allowed to draw retirement benefits and a salary then that would be unscrupulous. You must be a state/government worker.

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lawmeister December 23, 2012 at 9:50 am

The lexington county coroner’s office has been doing this for years. Its a place for corrupt cops to fulfill their retirement quota. They retire for one month start tgeir pension then return to their position with full pay. Randy Martin “fired wcpd and known liar per sled” has done this same maneuver among others associated with this office.

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Liberal Trash December 23, 2012 at 10:08 am

Why dont you Republicans who contol our state government change it?

You are “fiscal conservatives”arent you?

Hahahahahahahahahaha!

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lawmeister December 23, 2012 at 10:35 am

Most Republicans are merely RINOs With that nomenclature assigned to them for votes from the sheep. They are democraps check the voting records. With one strong exception in Katrina Shealy.

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Liberal Trash December 23, 2012 at 11:07 am

By this logic, all Republicans ” are all members of a political organization that merely lists a bunch of BS that they have no intention of doing.

My observation is that most Republicans arent “Rinos”, but rather

Republicans

The definition thereof?

A Political party made up of hypocrites who mouth off about how much they oppose “government spending” ,yet when given the power to do something about it,always do nothing and frequently, spend even more, who pompously declare their opposition to “big” government,but invariably grow government at all levels when placed in positions of power,and who call others names when doing the same things they do.See also the dictionary definition for

“Liars”

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MPATiger December 26, 2012 at 9:20 am

The plus side to “double dipping” is that those who retire at the high salaries is that hey continue to contribute to the retirement system at that high level and will are not accruing more time or benefits. So it actually isn’t bad for the retirement system. However I do believe that it causes a bottle neck.

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lynn breazeale December 31, 2012 at 12:08 pm

The “TERI” Plan has sunk our state retirement plan, it has gone from being near the top-rated state plan in the nation to being under-funded by around 16 billion dollars! What we need is a change to a 401 type system that has no guarantees, that is what most private business provide for employees. We have, under the excellent leadership of our illustrious Legislature made promises which we can’t keep. Did you know that taxpayers are currently kicking in over 10% of employees pay to the state ret. system? Can you imagine a private company contributing that much? And 10% will not be the end of it, it will continue to climb as time goes on. Don’t look for any help from the good ole boys, they reap the benefits, I believe it’s around $ 90.00 per month per year of service, several legislators have given up their pay in order to receive their retirement benefit which is larger! S. C. is a joke and we can thank the likes of Harrell, etc. What dumb-asses!

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