May 29, 2008
The Boston Herald on Perks for Government Employees
City pols demand buyback reforms
By Joe Dwinell
Boston city councilors—tired of seeing the Menino administration dole out millions to city managers and employees in a sick-day and vacation-time buyback bonanza—are calling for a hearing next week on the budget-busting perk.
"No one should be allowed to game the system," at-large City Councilor Sam Yoon said of retiring city officials getting six-figure checks for their unused sick and vacation time.
"We need to reform sick-time buybacks," added at-large City Councilor Steve Murphy, who said he will immediately call for a hearing on the buybacks at next week's council meeting.
Both officials said they were troubled by yesterday's Herald payroll report revealing that the city has spent some $33 million on buybacks over the past five years.
Murphy directed much of his ire at former Hub school Superintendent Michael Contompasis, who retired last year with a staggering $200,967 in unused sick time and vacation days—which were cashed out at the rate of his last salary, $270,000.
. . .
City records obtained by the Herald show the Menino administration shelled out more than 3,000 checks over the past five years to purchase unused sick days and vacation time.
. . .
Fiscal watchdogs both locally and nationally say selling back unused sick and vacation days is a perk seldom seen in the private sector.
"Local government should consider if they are offering too much," said Bill Ahern, of the Tax Foundation in Washington. "They don't even do it for federal workers." [Read the full article.]
