Double Dippers draining area taxpayers:
She should resign(for real this time!)
(To read the full buffalo news article - click her name.)
Lancaster Town Board Member Donna Stempniak
Lancaster Councilwoman Donna G. Stempniak, then 55, began receiving her pension.
Stempniak was re-elected to the Town Board in November 2007, but resigned for one week at the end of December. Then, in January, she was sworn in to a new term, and remains on the board.
The move coincided with a decision to retire from her full-time job as a Buffalo teacher.
The one-week resignation was necessary so Stempniak could transfer her town pension into her teaching pension, officials in the New York State Retirement System said.
The move increased the salary that Stempniak’s teacher pension calculation was based on and resulted in her pension being based on the more generous Tier 2 pension system, rather than Tier 3, officials said.
Stempniak’s pension is about $1,000 a month greater than it would have been without the town pension credits; however, she can no longer accrue pension credits even though she remains on the Lancaster Town Board.
Stempniak is currently eligible for a $67,044 annual pension(Plus Tax funded Benefits), but she elected to collect less now, and defer a portion to the future. She continues to collect her $18,467 board pay. (Plus Tax Funded benefits)
Lancaster officials were supportive of Stempniak’s pension maneuver, noting that they save about $1,600 annually by no longer paying into the retirement system for her.
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I think the Buffalo News forgot to add in the generous health care package(or $6000.00 a year buyout) and further deferred compensation plan.
As the article stated, "She Deferred" part of her pension - that just means she doesn't pay income tax on it now and gets even more later - plus interest - SWEAT !
Of course other Lancaster Officials are supportive of this scam - because other Lancaster Elected and Appointed Officials are also in-line to collect benefits and or pensions from more than one source.
But remember folks - Town Supervisor Bob Giza says, "His first concern is to protect the taxpayers."
and Council Member D.Stempniak said, "I'm doing this for my community."
Standard Lancaster Politics!
Like the Lancaster Highway Appointments and the removal of Superintendent R.Reese -
Lancaster Taxpayers will pay the bill.