On the heels of yesterday's reader comment revelation that Ogden Police Chief/Senator Jon Greiner had made made the pages of USA Today, in connection with a multi-state effort to ban the practice of of public employee "double dipping," the Standard-Examiner's Mark Shenenfelt chimes in with a brief article directly addressing this subject on his Why are you Crying blog:
• National poster child of double-dippersNow that the USA Today story is in the national spotlight, Mr. Shenefelt wryly speculates that this may not be exactly the kind of story that Boss Godfrey likes to see splashed all over the front pages of the national media:
Greiner also is a state senator, and he’s unapologetic about his arrangements. Greiner and his salary-and-retirement deal also have been defended by Mayor Matthew Godfrey. But I’m guessing Greiner’s double-dipping case going national is not the type of “recreational high adventure” fame Godfrey wants Ogden to keep getting in the top press.By Golly, we believe Mr. Shenefelt is exactly right; and we encourage WCF readers to mosey on over there to have a look. When you get there, be sure to also check out the growing list of savvy reader comments lodged beneath Mark's article.
It will be interesting to see whether this story receives further development on the national stage, no?
17 comments:
The cemeteries are full of indispensable men.
Hey I wish that I could make a $250,000.00 a year like the chief senator Greiner does all on the taxpayers money. When is enough, enough, I guess it is when we vote him out of office.
It's not just Piggy Greiner, it's all the Lieutenants, Deputy Chiefs in the Police department. The Fire Chief, the Fire Marshal in the Fire Department that are abusing the system.
Dont forget only a few select faithful followers are allowed to participate in the greedy double dip program in Ogden. It's unfair, and it's putting a hardship on those who are still contributing to the retirement system, as their contribution rates to the retirement system are now going to skyrocket.
We see Greiner trying to keep his trough of money by talking himself up - the same thing - and the only thing - he has ever done to get that trough in the first place.
Grondahl is missing an opportunity: a cartoon of a huge pig labeled "Griener", feeding at a trough filled with money, with a diminutive Mayor Godfrey holding the pig's leash and saying, "I just don't know what I'd do without him."
We could even envision "Hatch Act Violation" paperwork in the mud around the pig's feet.
There is a story in the Tuesday December 8th issue of the Salt Lake Tribune about a similar problem. Michael Jensen is the fire chief of the future United Fire Authority and also a Salt Lake County councilman. A complaint was filed last year with the U.S. Office of Special Counsel. He has many of the same problems and possible ethics violations that plague Jon Greiner.
Jensen faces heat in his roles as fire chief and councilman
Word of the day: schadenfreude.
Almost every preceding post, if they were offered similar compensation, would gladly accept it, until it was taken away.
To blame the recipient, until the acceptance is a crime, makes you all look like such hypocrites.
You all lie, cheat, and steal.
Better Than You Said:
I think you're missing the point many have been making. Or points. To wit:
1. The problem is the system which permits people to retire in place, collect their retirement pension and still draw full pay for the same job. Chief Greiner is a close illustration of that problem.
2. Another problem is that such juicy "retirement in place" benefits are, apparently, not available to all, but only to a select few at the top of their departments' pay scale to begin with in some municipalities. Like Ogden. This raises questions of fairness and suspicions about favoritism, about cosy double-dip deals being permitted for those close to whatever administration is involved.
3. With respect to Mr. Greiner, his double-dip would not be possible without the approval of the Mayor who he reports to, and of whom he is a strong advocate. Hence the [in this case I think fair] questions about favoritism.
4. Mr. Greiner is also a state senator, a Republican state senator, who runs as a fiscal conservative, and who has been entrusted [however unwisely] by the voters with keeping a weather eye on the spending of public money. Since the double-dip provisions [not only applying to his position as municipal police chief, but also to various state pension funds] is having an unnecessary and expensive impact on Utah public pension funds, it seems to me he has a higher obligation than non-legislators to not engage in favoritism-driven double dipping.
Curm, not only is Greiner a Senator, he is on the Legistaure Pension Committee.
A little bit more than cozy?
Senate Retirement and Independent Entities Committee
Sen. Daniel R. Liljenquist, Co Chair
Sen. Curtis S. Bramble
Sen. D. Chris Buttars
Sen. Gene Davis
Sen. Brent H. Goodfellow
Sen. Jon J. Greiner
Benjamin N. Christensen, Policy Analyst
Comment bumped to front page
This is the attutude of the republican party, which is I got mine now go get yours and if you can't get your then become a republican and I will help you get yours. If That doesn't work then just strip any benefits that I have the power to strip because I Can.
What stupid people that we have running our state and city. Then they have the gall to point the finger at the democrats that are doing thinks for the people and if they don't like it lets just call them liberals and the that is that. Give me a break!!!!!!
I question whether the Department Directors such as Greiner and Mathieu can really be effective in running the departments.
They are both retired in place, and the Mayor now holds their leash. These guys dont want to rock the sweet deal boat that the Mayor has allowed them to have.
I believe that is why their respective departments are in so much turmoil and disfunction, they cant truly do what is right for the department and the taxpayers while Godfrey holds the reigns to their double dipping slop.
All of this wouldn't be an issue if we had a mayor with integrity who would make an administrative hiring rule to only hire those not eligible to retire in place. State law allows this to occur. Mayor godfrey ensures that it occurs.
"Better than You"..can't speak for the rest of the bloggers but you're wrong.. I don't lie, cheat or steal, at least not since about 2nd grade...But, sadly..I've been known to curse..However, in my defence I won't do it in the presence of women or clergy (not that it makes it right at other times)
Better than You:
It must be comforting to live in a world with such moral certainty.
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