Escambia County Tax Collector Janet Holley retired this month. There wasn’t any big announcement, no appointment by Gov. Charlie Crist to replace her. She didn’t tell anyone earlier in the year of her intentions so that someone might run for his office.
Holley retired to take advantage of a loophole in the Florida Retirement System. She will begin receiving an annual pension of $81,600. Plus, she can keep her tax collector salary of about $132,000. She just elected to another four-year term.
We reported last April that other elected officials have been doing the same thing (Local Double Dippers). These figures are from a St. Pete Times investigative report done by Lucy Morgan:
Johnson, Mary M.
Agency Name: Santa Rosa Co Clerk Of Circuit Court
* Salary in 06-07: $117,349.22
* Monthly retirement payment: $6,515.53
* “Retired” in: 4/1/2001
* Total retirement benefit collected: $403,470.24
Magaha, Ernie L.
Agency Name: Escambia Co Clerk Of Circuit Court
* Salary in 06-07: $132,810.68
* Monthly retirement payment: $9,522.37
* “Retired” in:/1/2001
* Total retirement benefit collected: $397,593.95
McNesby, Harry R.
Agency Name: Escambia Co Sheriff’s Dept
* Salary in 06-07: $140,708.07
* Monthly retirement payment: $3,975.89
* “Retired” in:/1/1998
* Total retirement benefit collected: $73,669.93
This madness has to stop. We can’t pay pensions and salaries for the same people.