"The Watertown Daily Times obtained Mr. Renzi's retirement profile from the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee,"
Mr. Renzi said the Times' inquiries Tuesday and Wednesday were part of Mr. Aubertine's 'whisper campaign of negative, personal attacks."The article today about Renzi receiving state retirement credits is nothing more than an attack, Renzi is right and should be outraged.
"...does not meet the state criteria for being an employee for several reasons, including that he does not submit time sheets to the town, work fixed hours there, have a permanent work space at the town or report to anyone at the town during each work day."Well then, what does the following have in common?
Mayor of the City of Watertown
Watertown City Council
Jefferson County Board of Legislators
New York State Assembly
New York State Senate
These are all part time positions, they all receive credits for New York State Retirement, including Darrel Aubertine as a member of the Jefferson County Legislature, they all fit the same criteria as stated above by the Watertown Daily Times describing a town attorney, who likely puts more working time in than these positions with the exception of Assembly or Senate.
Some even receive health insurance, like the former members of the Jefferson Board of Supervisors (not Legislators, that practice is discontinued) even receiving life time health insurance.
To do an article that only targets David Renzi and not do it on the whole issue in general and noting all positions is simply targeting a political candidate and makes it foul smelling.
29 comments:
OH OH. So much for the, "If it is a fact, it is not negative." theory.
The Times buries the relevant facts: Renzi paid every dime -- no taxpayer funds involved.
The practice was widespread and accepted for years.
Oh, and yeah, the story is being spun by Darrel's team.
This story amounts to a front page lynching by the Times and Drew-crony Jude Seymour.
It's a disgrace and am embarassment.
Lawyers are not school employees. They are independent contractors who are paid per hour at the going hourly rate provided services for the Board of Education.
Your defense for Renzi's theft would mean that any contractor which supplies a service to government would be eligible for that government's retirement fund.
Renzi has violated New York State law as has been indicated by the recent statewide investigations directed at Law Firms who have participated in the scam.
Perhaps if Renzi, as a lawyer is elected, he could work with other lawyers in the Senate to make the scam legal. Only then will it not be a BIG DEAL!
Let's get all worked-up because Dave was paying his own way for his Town health insurance and Town pension, and ignore the fact that we, the taxpayer, are paying for Stan Overton's, and Jennie Adsit's, and (am I forgetting anyone?) lifetime health insurance from their tenure with the old Board of Supervisors.
"The Times buries the relevant facts: Renzi paid every dime -- no taxpayer funds involved."
"The practice was widespread and accepted for years."
Not true !!
Our school districts continue to contribute your taxpayer money to the NYS Retirement Fund based on employees credits. It is illegal for independent contractors to be allowed to buy those credits because they are not "state" employees. The services of the retirement system are paid for by the taxpayers.
It was not widespread since only the minority of school lawyers were doing it. The honest lawyers recognized the illegality of it, avoided it, and the sleazy lawyers jumped on it, but now are being called on it.
It also was not accepted for years which is why the investigation has been popular with taxpayers and especially school employees since these very same lawyers were scheming for years to line their pockets while burning up worthless hours negotiating against the school employees.
Bus drivers, cafeteria workers, custodial workers, school teachers and a few administrators will take notice of Dave's sticky fingers.
Uh, hello.
May I respectfully point out that elected officials aren't legally the same as independent contractors. Political IV should know that better than anyone.
Over and out.
"Well then, what does the following have in common?
Mayor of the City of Watertown
Watertown City Council
Jefferson County Board of Legislators
New York State Assembly
New York State Senate"
ANSWER: They are all E L E C T E D ! By the Public at large.
Attorneys are CONTRACTORS! Just like any of the myriad of contractors hired by Schools, local govt, the State! Do ALL of these contractors have a basis to claim Retirement Benefits? Many do essentially the same work as EMPLOYEES.
NO. Because you cannot buy your way into the Retirement System.
This is an Ethical cesspool.
Read the WHOLE law. Be informed. THEN form an inteligent opinion.
I am glad this district has no real problems to deal with that we can waste all this time (and ink) on such pressing matters like 'he hired his sister', or 'he tried to get state pension credits'. This is so ridiculous. Knowing both, I don't think either man can be called dishonest. Can we please get away from the sideshow, and concentrate on the meat and potato issues these men should be discussing. This petty sniping back and forth over nothing is beneath both of them and insulting to the voters. Sheesh!!
I don't get how you base your beliefs, or if, in fact, you actually have any. Here's why:if this situation were reversed, IV would be UP IN ARMS were it NOT reported on. This was a fair article, didn't indict Dave in any way. You are flailing in our arguments and are making him look even more desperate than he is. IV is doing NO favors to the Renzi camp.
"You are full of shit!
"Sticky fingers, you are a partisan hack. "
It was his OWN money?"
"WRONG"
The few cents on the dollar that he may have contributed to buy into the retirement system, illegally was his own, but the bonus bucks that he would get back was from money contributed by school districts across the state and come from the taxpayers.
In fact, that is why it is illegal for private contractors to purchase public retirement credits.
The scam is illegal and under investigation all across New York State.
He broke the law. That is a fact. Pointing it out is not negative, it is to the benefit of all taxpayers and potential voters who were victims of Renzi and the few other crooked New York State lawyers who tried the same scam.
I don't want to elect a lawyer who does not understand the law.
I think Drew does a better job on here defending Darrel under the name rwiley then he does for his real job.
Hi IV,
Since you have pulled back the curtain surrounding NNY Follies are you going to do the same for yourself?
THOUSANDS of part time employees around the state were partaking of this situation. Only recently was this practice reinterpreted, which caused THOUSANDS of these kinds of employees to bow out of the system. To single out
Renzi, and to imply wrongdoing, is dishonest. The Johnsons and the WDT haved failed their readership and proved their own dishonesty.
A part time employee is NOT the same as an independent contractor like attorney Renzi. Municipal part time or seasonal employees are entitled to join the pension system and accrue pension credits on a pro-rated basis. Same for part time elected officials.
Supervisor Longway, ( a Republican ) said that Renzi wanted to get more retirement credits because he was lacking enough time to vest his retirement.
Previous post rightly points out that as a lawyer Renzi knows he was not eligible for these credits.
Things that make you go hmmmm.......
Ah Dave got caught same as his brother and the other partner...only I don't think Gene asked to be put in as Dave did, according to the Pamelia supv. One can not get on that ethical high horse like Dave did and slam Darrel when your out there as Dave is/was. He knew very well what he had asked for and what he was doing- why would he write the letter(s) asking to be removed AFTER learning his brother was under investigation ? and then not submit them ? Why ?
The state retirement system as a whole is a scam- politicians on every level contribute minimal accounts (based on tiny salaries) and are accummulating years in the system. Then they "retire" from politics, find a (cushy) government job for a few years, and reap huge retirement benefits based on their last three years wages.
Why wouldn't anyone want to take advantage of that if they could? The system's broke, Albany won't fix it, taxpayers get screwed, and we have to listen to it in a political race when real facts don't surface. The WDT doesn't seem to want to comment on Aubertine's (lack of) record but will continue to stir up mud.
If I may interject some sanity into the madness, I would like to point out that many of us in local government weren't aware that lawyers shouldn't be allowed into the retirement system until the great crusade by AG Cuomo and Comptroller DiNapoli. I addressed my board twice concerning this matter and both times the supervisor has said "when that state tells us to stop doing it then we'll stop." Comments like that are at the heart of the problem in New York. The lack of accountability and the "it's ok until we get caught" attitude.
I have served on my town board for seven years and I am NOT a part of the state retirement system. I believed when I was elected, and now, that it is wrong for elected officials to participate in a government sponsored retirement program. The purpose of being an elected official is to SERVE the PUBLIC to the best of your abilities. Not get a cushy job and a nice retirement for taxing the hell out of people and cronyism. If Dave has done something worng then he should own up to it. However, we cannot forget that Mr. Aubertine has been in public leadership for quite some time and he is not immune from criticism. Or, at least he shouldn't be. Criticism offers a candidate a chance to reflect on the stances they take and to address their position or change their position. Criticism does not equal a negative campaign.
I thought Perry White was the editor of the Daily Planet?
TF
The answering is a resounding NO.
They did their share of speculation and naming about this blog while NNY Follies stood silent.
I neither report or oversee local news, I simply push it around and comment on it just like you.
Neither of us conflict ourselves.
Thanks for the inquiry.
Rwiley? Dwiley?
Hmmmmmmmm
"THOUSANDS of part time employees around the state were partaking of this situation."
The key here is employee. Employees are eligible to participate in the Retirement system.
Independent contractors are not eligible.
Thousands of part time employees around the state are still partaking of this situation.
Up to this point, The Attorney General has targeted only 90 lawyers of the thousands of lawyers retained. It is a small percentage of the lawyers who are scamming the taxpayers. Renzi is one of them.
"THOUSANDS of part time employees around the state were partaking of this situation. Only recently was this practice reinterpreted, . . . "
Revisionism, or outright deception, either way this is a BOLD FACED LIE.
It has ALWAYS been illegal for contractors to qualify for the NYS Retirement System. Any attorney worth his bar exam knows this.
Part-time workers have always been eligible for coverage.
I suspect the "my own money" Renzi refers to is the 3% contribution that all employees were required to make.
Mister: don't come here to try to BS the good people of this blog.
The review of this part-time/contract labor situation is just getting started in this state. It started because of actions taken by AG Cuomo. There are MANY more people involved than 90 lawyers. Some individual school districts had a dozens employees EACH who were found to be ineligible for retirement benefits. It's what you get when you have a state that spends like we do. Money gets lost. To single out Renzi, and to do so just before an election like this, is dishonest.
Thanks for calling me, Mister, mister. Your anger and indignation indentifies you as a passionate donkey. He haw.
Has the city editor admitted to writing a blog? Until he admits this, it's probably best not to perpetuate a hunch.
Neither of us conflict ourselves
If you are indeed a member of the JeffCo county baord and represent the GOP members as is believed by many Oswego Republicans I say you are conflicted and you are embarasing us and doing us no good. We all read as you never address a issue. Like NRA supported by Renzi. Bring out the good side of Renzi. We all know the bad side of Auberting.
"To single out Renzi, and to do so just before an election like this, is dishonest."
It is not dishonest, it is a fact !
The Watertown times did a public service by pointing out that Dave Renzi, was involved in a retirement system scam that Renzi and his supporters denied when his law firm was caught with sticky fingers WEEKS ago. Dave said, "not me, that was my partners". He then scurried back to the Town to cover it up.
Darrel on the other hand, who is one of us, said immediately, "Yup, I did it".
This has been proven by Republicans, themselves, who also ran a public service announcement that pointed out Darrel's honesty and demonstrates that he is brave enough to "fess up" and be accountable.
Some people learn from their mistakes and go on with their business.
Some people waste time covering up their mistakes and hiding their lies.
Of course NNY Follies is Perry. While the Times pulls (or tries to pull) the curtain back from every other online operation around JeffCo, NNYF remains uninvestigated and not outed. You don't expose your own people.
"I think Drew does a better job on here defending Darrel under the name rwiley then he does for his real job."
I take that as a compliment because Darrel is a decent man, has a wonderful family and I make no apologies for defending him. He is truly one of us.
However to insinuate that "Drew" is using my name is wrong and not fair to Drew who would not know me if I pooped on his shoe. Then, he would mistake me for a Republican!
I have posted on the internet for years using my name of rwiley.
rwiley
the truth is that if Renzi had gotten out in front of this issue of being put into the state retirement system when it was illegal, then it would not be worth discussing. There was another Renzi and his partner that were brought to task for taking part in the state retirement fund while doing contract work for, i think, two villlages. At that point if dave had said, "I did this too and i'm paying the money back." or whatever really happened....it would wash away and everyone would go, well, okay then. Didn't Bobby Cantwell do that when he started his campaign about a DWI he got a decade ago. Now it is in the open and no one mentions it because he didn't LIE about it.
And while PIV is PO'd about the horrible, disastrous, mightily eloquent-but-diametrically-opposed to-PIV's-POV writings of NNYfollies - yeah, i have to agree - I have NEVER read a newspaper that actually included opinion pieces...OH WAIT THEY ALL DO.
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