Earlier this week a post detailed more about the ethics charges filed against former Fayette County Property Valuation Administrator Renee True, who retired in 2008 under a cloud of controversy and nepotism charges. The current Fayette County Property Valuation Administrator is David O’Neill. Today, in a Sarah-Palinesque moment, True filed as a candidate for the office she abandoned two years before her elected term was up.
Renee True Would Collect $175,000 Per Year as PVA
( Lexington , KY ) – In a shocking act of self-entitlement, former Fayette County Property Valuation Administrator (PVA), Renee True, today filed for election to the office from which she resigned – midway through her term – on December 31, 2008.
Like many state workers, True took advantage of an attractive early retirement plan, which was phased out statewide effective on January 1, 2009. However, unlike any other state official, True had no intention of leaving the job, but instead sought to draw on her pension and simultaneously retain the office and the handsome salary that goes along with it.
Current Fayette County PVA David O’Neill was appointed by Governor Steve Beshear to fill the vacancy created by True’s departure. “Immediately after resigning, True met with the Governor and asked him to reappoint her. The Governor chose not to be a party to a ‘double-dipping scheme’ and instead appointed me,” O’Neill said.
If successful, True would be paid through salary and her pension approximately $175,000 per year – a sum intended for two people at a time when more than 10% of all Kentuckians are looking for jobs. “After the excesses uncovered at KACO, Kentucky League of Cities, the library and the airport board, I believe the tax payers are sick to death of this type of governance,” O’Neill said. “Ms. True knows that the general public pays little attention to who the candidates are for a PVA race, and she is counting on sneaking back into office. Her audacity is outrageous and appalling.”
True will challenge O’Neill in the Democratic primary election on May 18.
ENTUCKY TAXPAYERS’ WAKE UP!
CO # PARCELS 07 CO HH MEDIAN PVA
INCOME SALARY
FAYETTE 101,386 46,726 175,000
WARREN 47,305 42,303 126,085
PULASKI 34,321 32,308 120,751
DAVIESS 35,281 42,680 121,806
BOONE 36,600 66,690 123,228
BULLITT 27,299 49,851 120,799
JEFFERSON 260,117 43,677 128,124
JESSAMINE 16,779 47,324 114,420
KENTON 56,088 50,734 126,904
AS ONE CAN SEE PVA STATE EMPLOYEES RECEI VE GENEROUS PAY COMPARED TO THEIR NON-ELECTED MERIT COUNTERPARTS.
MEASURING 09-10 PVA PROJECTED INCOMES TO LOCAL COUNTY MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME, ON AVERAGE PVA’s ANNUAL SALARIES AVERAGE
BEING AN ESTIMATED 2.8 TIMES LARGER.
TO BRING MORE FAIRNESS FOR “US TAXPAYERS” I RECOMMEND LAWMAKERS AMEND CURRENT LEGISLATION NOT ALLOWING ANY RETIRED STATE EMPLOYEE, ELECTED OR NON-ELECTED, TO DOUBLE DIP TAXPAYERS DOLLARS.
CANDIDATE TRUE HAS BEEN PVA. I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST TO OUR
KY LAWMAKERS TO
Seriously, what was that commenter screaming about??
I get his point, even though the all caps was a bit much. The first number was the number of real property parcels in each county, followed by average income followed by PVA salary.
I didn’t realize they made that much. They’ve got to be among the highest paid local elected officials. And of course, with True, she would really be raking it because she’s drawing retirement too.
A follow-up to Bill Huff’s comment: I’m not sure about the other counties, but David O’Neill’s salary is $87,000.
If he’s wrong about O’Neill it’s hard to trust that the other salaries are correct. But it’s possible some of those have been in office for 30 years which would explain the salaries being high.
Pingback: Blue Bluegrass » Blog Archive » Another Troubling Issue for Renee True
Pingback: Blue Bluegrass » Blog Archive » A Double-Dipping Prohibition in the Kentucky House?
Will our legislators actually do something that may prevent them from double dipping in the future? If I were allowed to wager in the Commonwealth I would have to bet against this one. But I do hope I am wrong.