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TagsBY BOB HOLT
NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
The legal political practice of “double dipping,” collecting a salary and a pension at the same time, is coming under closer scrutiny in New Jersey.
Last month Joseph DiVincenzo, the Essex County executive, retired last year, started collecting a pension, then returned to the same job. His annual combined public pay is $222,000.
Then on Wednesday, Governor Christie told reporters to “take the bat” to Sen. Loretta Weinberg for collecting a pension funded by taxpayers while making $49,000 a year in the Senate.
An Associated Press story on Forbes.com reports Christie later criticized DiVincenzo, a Democratic ally of the governor, but didn’t call on him to quit taking retirement benefits or return the money.
NorthJersey.com reports Weinberg collects about $36,000 a year in pension based on her years in a full-time Bergen County job and in other government positions.
On Wednesday, Christie called DiVincenzo’s maneuver “gamesmanship” —then suggested that Weinberg should receive a “hypocrisy award.”
The senator said the loss of her retirement savings in the Bernie Madoff investment scam led her to apply for pension payments to supplement her part-time lawmaker income.
Weinberg referred to Christie’s Cabinet secretary Lou Goetting, who is paid $130,000 a year in addition to about $87,000 in annual pension payments after retiring from state government.
“He should look at his own Cabinet,” she said. “He’s got a lot of things to worry about on behalf of the people of New Jersey, and I’m not one of them.”
Back in February, NJ.com reported that Weinberg said, “There’s obviously double standards.”
Christie has also criticized holding two elected offices — but relies on votes in the Legislature from Sen. Brian Stack (D-Hudson), who doubles as the Union City mayor. In February, the governor said he has “great confidence in Brian Stack and his integrity” after his ex-wife was caught driving a municipal car and gassing up for free.
