Still Governor, Perry Collects ‘Retirement’ Pay
3:15 p.m. | Updated Gov. Rick Perry of Texas has been beating the drum about cutting the pay of Congress in half — or by 75 percent under one plan — a proposal that has become a cornerstone of his presidential campaign platform.
But he boosted his own taxpayer-financed compensation by about 60 percent this year, Jay Root at The Texas Tribune reports.
Mr. Perry — who isn’t stepping down as governor — nevertheless was able to officially “retire” this year for benefits purposes, a move that gives him about $90,000 more in annual retirement compensation on top of his $150,000 salary as governor.
The move may open him up to criticism from rivals, who can point to Mr. Perry’s recent suggestions that the retirement age for Social Security and the age eligibility for Medicare be raised — two government programs that many older Americans depend on to make ends meet.
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/12/16/perry-collects-retirement-pay-paper-reports/
= new reply since forum marked as read
Rules for us "peons" and rules for the BIG dogs, " 'cause they learned how to piss in tall timbers". 
There is nothing more to say about the greediness "all about me" attitude of this disgusting man.
FU Rick Perry!
Editorial: Perry undercuts his message by cashing in on pension
(snip)
The Texas governor decries profiting off public service. When this happens in Washington, it’s government waste.
But when Perry himself finagles a mega-pay raise, it’s “good estate planning.”
(snip)
Perry’s presidential campaign has centered on what he describes as his unmatched record of fiscal conservatism. He touts the virtues of lean government and rails against well-paid politicians who flourish while ordinary Americans struggle. If members of Congress were drawing pensions and full-time salaries, Perry no doubt would have some choice words for them.
Perhaps our governor has forgotten about the legislation he signed to make it more difficult for other state employees and teachers to collect pensions and full salaries at the same time. Most make far less than Perry, but the governor apparently agreed that collecting two state checks each month should be discouraged.
The rules that Perry would have others live by need not apply to him.
It's the Perry "I got mine, FU" mode of operation. Same as it ever was....
Perry Rival Wants Probe of Retirement Pay
An old Republican rival of Gov. Rick Perry is calling on state and federal officials to investigate whether he broke the law when he began collecting his lucrative pension without actually leaving his job.
Debra Medina, who lost to Perry in the 2010 Republican primary, sent a letter Wednesday to the Internal Revenue Service and the Employees Retirement System of Texas asking for a probe.
“As a taxpayer and a longtime political activist devoted to the protection of public dollars from misuse by government officials, I am concerned that Gov. Perry may be violating the spirit of state and federal regulations related to the compensation of elected officials,” Medina wrote. “Whether or not he violated the letter of these laws remains an open question and is in need of an official and final answer.”
Perry, the longest-serving governor in Texas history, disclosed in recent Federal Election Commission filings that he began collecting his pension in January, boosting his gross yearly income by more than $90,000. Perry still makes his $150,000-a-year salary and has three years left in his term.
I'm with Medina on this one. Lets look into it and if this is really legal we need to change the laws. It certainly violates the spirit of law, the intention that the person collecting the pension should actually be "retired". Perry needs to quit his office!
