Politics & Government
Report: CamCo Sheriff, Undersheriff Double-Dipping Pensions
The two law enforcement officials are are collecting pensions on top of their regular salaries, according to a report by New Jersey Watchdog.
Two of Camden County's top cops are among 51 double-dippers identified by New Jersey Watchdog in a report detailing more than $9 million in salaries and retirement benefits being drawn by sheriffs and undersheriffs across the state.
Sheriff Charles Billingham and Undersheriff William Fontanez are among those taking advantage of loopholes in the state's pension reforms, according to the report, allowing law enforcement officials to retire from one position after 25 years of service, then jump back in with a new salaried position, while still drawing retirement pay.
Billingham, who makes a total of $219,141 between his retirement pay and salary as sheriff, is the sixth-highest-paid law enforcement official on the list, which is topped by several North Jersey sheriffs. Fontanez, although much lower on the list, still draws six figures, with his combined salary and retirement pay coming in at $165,123.
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Both men moved quickly into their new roles after an early retirement—Billingham, who was previously a lieutenant in Washington Township, retired in June 2006 and took office in Camden County in January 2007. Fontanez moved even faster, retiring as a Camden sheriff's officer in April 2003, then taking a new job as a chief warrant officer in the sheriff's department before rising to undersheriff.
Both Billingham and Fontanez were cited in last year's version of the same report, when there were only 40 law enforcement officials identified as double-dippers by New Jersey Watchdog.
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Unlike last year, there's legislation in the works that might close the loopholes that allow simultaneous pensions and salaries. A bill sponsored by state Sen. Jennifer Beck, R-Monmouth, would suspend state pension payments to government retirees who return to the public payroll at salaries greater than $15,000—though that bill, and a similar one in the Assembly, have been stalled in committee for most of this year.
“It’s not a great deal for taxpayers, and it’s something we need to fix,” Beck told NBC 4 New York, which produced a report along with New Jersey Watchdog.
“The pension system is to support you when you’re done working. It isn’t there for you to enrich yourself by taking on another public salary.”
The full list of double-dippers is below:
$9,150,318 $5,454,378 $3,695,940 AVERAGE
$179,418 $106,949 $72,469
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