A hypothetical question is now becoming a reality: the first of Baltimore County’s part-time elected officials is ready to retire at age 54 and will collect a pension equal to his full salary for the rest of his life. County Councilman Vincent J. Gardina, a Democrat, is eligible to collect $54,000 as a retirement benefit as long as he lives. “Full salary for life after 20 years in a part-time political job is outrageous," said Donald Norris, professor and chair of public policy. “Politicians are almost always very nice to themselves with regard to pensions and other perks – nicer than they are to their employees, or to citizens.”
The article, “A $54,000 pension for life, courtesy of taxpayers,” ran October 21 in the Baltimore Sun.
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