Double Dipper Hypocrisy

In 2009 the Florida legislature, with the support of Sen. Mike Haridopolos, passed a law banning "double dipping" - public employees who earn a government pension while working full-time for the government, earning essentially a second paycheck.

Despite this "ban" Sen. Haridopolos hired three senior staffers who double dip. As reported by the St. Petersburg Times below, these employees will earn large salaries while Florida faces record unemployment:

  • "Terry Rhodes, a 30-year veteran of the Department of Agriculture, will become a special assistant to the president and staff director of the Committee on Ethics and Elections at a salary of $150,000. She will also collect a state pension of $6,448 a month beginning in April and collected $404,657 in deferred compensation when she retired last April."
  • "Craig Meyer, a former deputy commissioner of agriculture with 26 years of experience in state government, was hired in June to run a new Senate budget office. Meyer was chief of staff for Senate President Bob Crawford 20 years ago. He's being paid $155,000 a year. He will also collect a $3,588 pension beginning in April and collected $10,688 in deferred compensation this past April."
  • "John B. Phelps, former House clerk who retired in 2005 and has been working in the Legislative Research Center and Museum, will become staff director of the Senate Rules Committee. He'll be paid $139,152, the same salary he has been making doing historical research. He collects a monthly pension of $6,260 and collected deferred compensation totaling $350,482 when he retired in 2005."

Fellow Senate Republican Mike Fasano criticized Haridopolos' hirings: "There are plenty of good, hard-working individuals out there who could sure use a job right now...We have high unemployment and struggling families. It's hard to explain this to people like that."

Learn More About Double Dipping Hypocrisy

Senate President-To-Be Mike Haridopolos Hires Three New Staffers Who Are Double Dippers
By Lucy Morgan - St. Petersburg Times
TALLAHASSEE — A year ago state lawmakers passed a law to ban "double dipping'' among public employees. This week Senate President-to-be Mike Haridopolos announced the addition of veteran staffers who will be double dippers. Double dipping is where employees collect retirement checks while working full-time. All three of the new Senate employees will be earning six-figure salaries.