CONTACT: Rich Orsillo, (516) 662-5232 and r.orsillo@gmail.com
HANNON REAPS PENSION AND SALARY AT TAXPAYERS EXPENSE Cronin pledges to end crooked practice that Hannon capitalizes on to collect taxpayer funded pension and salary Long Island, NY -- Today, New York State Senate candidate Ryan Cronin blasted Kemp Hannons newly released financial disclosure form showing that hes now simultaneously raking in a yearly $68,565 pension on top of his approximately $100,000 a year salary -- all paid for by taxpayers. The practice, known as double-dipping, takes advantage of a loophole, allowed by longtime Albany politicians including Kemp Hannon, that lets them collect a state-funded pension from the same elected position theyre currently serving. After decades in Albany raising our taxes, Kemp Hannon is now digging his hands deeper into the taxpayers pockets, said Ryan Cronin. While Long Islanders work hard to support their families, Kemp Hannon is sitting back and collecting a pension and salary for the same work at our expense. I dont care if there is a loophole that allows it to happen, it is morally wrong. Kemp Hannon should choose not to exploit this loophole, instead he should close it. As a State Senator, I will support legislation to end this fiscally irresponsible practice of double-dipping by politicians like Kemp Hannon. The current pension law was changed in 1995 preventing newly elected lawmakers from double-dipping, but lawmakers, like Kemp Hannon, who were in office greedily exempted themselves from the reforms. As a State Senator, Ryan Cronin will sponsor legislation, such as Senate Bill S.7081, that would prohibit all elected officials from collecting retirement while still in office when the retirement is earned from an elective public office. Ryan Cronin concluded, While our Long Island schools are underfunded and our taxes continue to go up, Kemp Hannon keeps finding more ways to profit off taxpayers like us. Its hard to fathom how anyone could think its acceptable to collect your taxpayerfunded retirement benefits when you arent retired and still earning a salary. Common sense tells us that this is not how the system is supposed to work. However, it also shows us how disillusioned Kemp Hannon has become in Albany and why we need to actually retire him this November. I look forward to ending this rigged system and saving
taxpayers their hard earned dollars from greedy politicians.
### Additional Background: Health Committee pol raises eyebrows with investments in drug firms http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/lovett-heath-pol-big-money-drug-firms-article1.2449907