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FDNY pension tension as 2014 retirees average $100K
FDNY at St. Joseph Hill School ground to check the aftermath of a fire in 2013. (Staten Island Advance/Hilton Flores)
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on June 21, 2015 at 5:00 AM, updated June 21, 2015 at 12:03 PM
CITY HALL -- Firefighters and fire officers who retired in 2014 are taking in annual pensions averaging more than $100,000 because most left on disability, according to a report released last week.
The average pension for 166 FDNY retirees who left in fiscal year 2014 was $100,636, the conservative watchdog group Empire Center said. Last year's data was provided by the FDNY after a state judge ruled in favor of releasing the pension amounts.
The more than 300 pages of data includes information on pensions of nearly 16,000 retirees, including their names and pension amounts.
Eight FDNY retirees have pensions of more than $200,000.
Twelve have bigger pensions than the department's former commissioner, Salvatore Cassano. His pension is just over $190,000.
Jake Lemonda, president of the Uniformed Fire Officers Association, said in a statement that the higher-ranking FDNY members the union represents are charged with protecting millions of lives and billions of dollars of real estate and infrastructure.
"New York Fire Officers who receive the highest pensions make up the top echelon of the FDNY, with an average of 40 years of exemplary service to the citizens of the City of New York," Lemonda said.
The Uniformed Firefighters Association, which represents the rank-and-file, pushed back against the Empire Center's characterization of the data.
"We are offended that the term 'firefighter' is being used when in fact, the top 500 pensioners are all management and chiefs," UFA spokesman Tom Butler said in a statement on the pension data. "To say they are firefighters is not true."
DATA AND DISABILITY
The data released by the FDNY doesn't indicate whether pensions are for disabilities or service retirements.
According to the Empire Center, many pensions exceeded six figures partially because the majority of FDNY retirees since 2001 are out on disability.
Prior to 2009, disability pensions for uniformed workers equaled 75 percent of final average salaries plus Social Security benefits. A change in state law reduced the payout to 50 percent that could be decreased further by Social Security benefits.
Typical service retirement pensions are 50 percent of uniformed workers' final average salaries.
HEATED PENSION DESPUTE
The FDNY pension data was released as the city, state and uniformed unions continue to debate the future of the disability payouts in an effort to resolve the discrepancy for new hires.
Unions are fighting for a return to pre-2009 levels, something Gov. Andrew Cuomo and nearly all Staten Island's elected officials support.
"The NYPD and FDNY are first-rate departments and don't deserve second-rate benefits," Assemblyman Joseph Borelli (R-South Shore) said. "When you have a young officer permanently damaged from a hatchet wound on his head getting less disability pay than most Staten Islanders pay the neighborhood kid shoveling snow, the system is clearly flawed."
Earlier this month the City Council approved a proposal from Mayor Bill de Blasio that increases benefits, but not to the levels unions want.
ROSE OPPOSES UNION PLAN
Councilwoman Debi Rose (D-North Shore) voted for de Blasio's measure and is the only borough elected official who doesn't back the plan supported by unions.
She said earlier this month that she might consider a better compromise if necessary, but that the mayor's proposal is better than the status quo.
Minority Leader Vincent Ignizio (R-South Shore) and Councilman Steven Matteo (R-Mid-Island) said they voted against de Blasio's measure because it didn't address pension disparities.
The mayor has argued that the city needs to take into account "long term liabilities." De Blasio spokeswoman Amy Spitalnick said in a statement that the city can't "go back to the broken system of the past."
"Our City's heroes need strong disability protections, and our City needs a pension system that doesn't unfairly burden taxpayers," she said. "The Mayor's plan ensures that brave uniformed men and women would receive fair coverage they need and deserve in the event of severe disability, while shielding taxpayers from an exorbitant unfunded mandate estimated as high as $6 billion."
According to City Hall, the measure backed by unions would cost $6 billion over the next three decades while de Blasio's would cost between $1.2 and $2 billion.
Amending the law requires action from state lawmakers. Approval from the City Council in the form of a home rule message -- such as the one passed this month -- is also required unless a statewide measure is passed.
The average pension for 166 FDNY retirees who left in fiscal year 2014 was $100,636, the conservative watchdog group Empire Center said. Last year's data was provided by the FDNY after a state judge ruled in favor of releasing the pension amounts.
The more than 300 pages of data includes information on pensions of nearly 16,000 retirees, including their names and pension amounts.
Eight FDNY retirees have pensions of more than $200,000.
Twelve have bigger pensions than the department's former commissioner, Salvatore Cassano. His pension is just over $190,000.
Jake Lemonda, president of the Uniformed Fire Officers Association, said in a statement that the higher-ranking FDNY members the union represents are charged with protecting millions of lives and billions of dollars of real estate and infrastructure.
"New York Fire Officers who receive the highest pensions make up the top echelon of the FDNY, with an average of 40 years of exemplary service to the citizens of the City of New York," Lemonda said.
The Uniformed Firefighters Association, which represents the rank-and-file, pushed back against the Empire Center's characterization of the data.
"We are offended that the term 'firefighter' is being used when in fact, the top 500 pensioners are all management and chiefs," UFA spokesman Tom Butler said in a statement on the pension data. "To say they are firefighters is not true."
DATA AND DISABILITY
The data released by the FDNY doesn't indicate whether pensions are for disabilities or service retirements.
According to the Empire Center, many pensions exceeded six figures partially because the majority of FDNY retirees since 2001 are out on disability.
Prior to 2009, disability pensions for uniformed workers equaled 75 percent of final average salaries plus Social Security benefits. A change in state law reduced the payout to 50 percent that could be decreased further by Social Security benefits.
Typical service retirement pensions are 50 percent of uniformed workers' final average salaries.
HEATED PENSION DESPUTE
The FDNY pension data was released as the city, state and uniformed unions continue to debate the future of the disability payouts in an effort to resolve the discrepancy for new hires.
Unions are fighting for a return to pre-2009 levels, something Gov. Andrew Cuomo and nearly all Staten Island's elected officials support.
"The NYPD and FDNY are first-rate departments and don't deserve second-rate benefits," Assemblyman Joseph Borelli (R-South Shore) said. "When you have a young officer permanently damaged from a hatchet wound on his head getting less disability pay than most Staten Islanders pay the neighborhood kid shoveling snow, the system is clearly flawed."
Earlier this month the City Council approved a proposal from Mayor Bill de Blasio that increases benefits, but not to the levels unions want.
ROSE OPPOSES UNION PLAN
Councilwoman Debi Rose (D-North Shore) voted for de Blasio's measure and is the only borough elected official who doesn't back the plan supported by unions.
She said earlier this month that she might consider a better compromise if necessary, but that the mayor's proposal is better than the status quo.
Minority Leader Vincent Ignizio (R-South Shore) and Councilman Steven Matteo (R-Mid-Island) said they voted against de Blasio's measure because it didn't address pension disparities.
The mayor has argued that the city needs to take into account "long term liabilities." De Blasio spokeswoman Amy Spitalnick said in a statement that the city can't "go back to the broken system of the past."
"Our City's heroes need strong disability protections, and our City needs a pension system that doesn't unfairly burden taxpayers," she said. "The Mayor's plan ensures that brave uniformed men and women would receive fair coverage they need and deserve in the event of severe disability, while shielding taxpayers from an exorbitant unfunded mandate estimated as high as $6 billion."
According to City Hall, the measure backed by unions would cost $6 billion over the next three decades while de Blasio's would cost between $1.2 and $2 billion.
Amending the law requires action from state lawmakers. Approval from the City Council in the form of a home rule message -- such as the one passed this month -- is also required unless a statewide measure is passed.
88 comments
You really can't put a price on a persons health, especially when it was sacrificed in the service of your fellow man. God bless the men and woman of the FDNY. Civil servants deserve the best. They have a direct benefit to all of the citizens of NYC. Thank you all.
I strongly agree with 3/4 pay for those injured in the line of duty when they no longer can perform their full functions. No, I am not a city worker. Unfortunately too many workers play the system ruining it for those that truly deserve ¾ pay. Look at the numbers. Do you really believe that so many are injured right about retirement time? Usually when they just came off of record breaking overtime the last 2 or 3 years? I live in the typical blue collar, middle class area common to Staten Island. I can’t even begin to tell you how many late 30 to early 40 year olds are out on ¾ disability spending their days in the local gyms looking like pro body builders. They are in better shape than most people half their age that get up and go to work for a living. Again, I still say they deserve ¾ when TRULY warranted. The city needs to weed out the phonies. Which probably totals about 3/4’s of those out on ¾.
The mayors WIFE has a staff member who get $140,000 a yr to write her messages. The city govt has so much wasted money being spent and people worry about brave men and women of this city who put their lives on line everyday to protect us. These individuals recieving these 6 figure retirements are equivalent to CEOs COOs CFOs of corporations. In private sector their salaries would be in millions. these pensions are much deserved and in a city that wastes millions every yr and "studies" its pittance. Plus FDNY NYPD etc pay taxes and also pay into their own pensions. These pensions are not free. But go in keep on reading newspapers thinking the writers have all their facts straight
PhilipGeorge MNYS Teachers Retirement System2007-11-07$261,036.60StolzenbergEdward AWestchester Health Care Corp2004-01-24$222,359.00SchatmeyerCheryl HWestchester Health Care Corp2003-05-12$215,626.00RustumYoucef MRoswell Park Cancer Institute2008-01-05$203,101.83EchavarriaLouis APort Authority Of NY & NJ2009-01-24$196,767.74BalsamDvorahNassau Health Care Corp2005-12-30$191,596.00HineyRobert ANYS Power Authority2005-12-15$190,820.51SouthonPriscilla JNew York Public Library2008-04-01$188,846.81KlimbergStanley BLong Island Power Authority2007-04-07$188,668.92WoodPhilip WSUNY Central Admin2010-12-18$186,295.16ConwellMary CNew York Public Library2004-08-21$185,155.00SeymourJoseph JPort Authority Of NY & NJ2004-10-23$183,902.43ShaftanGerald WNassau Health Care Corp2002-10-17$181,854.00BroganMichael PPort Authority Of NY & NJ2005-07-09$180,293.45Mc MahonPatrick JCity Of Yonkers2009-01-23$179,316.37NewbergRobert MNassau County2008-04-18$176,768.94GizzoGerardoWestchester County2010-05-07$176,133.26CurtisGerald TCity Of Yonkers2006-12-31$175,172.09MillerFrederick BWestchester Health Care Corp2004-11-01$174,205.00SattiVenkata SElmira Psych Ctr2009-05-30$173,650.84RahnElsa KNassau County1999-08-31$173,578.00CorriganWilliam JPort Authority Of NY & NJ2003-05-10$173,102.00MettenSteven TNassau County2006-07-05$171,664.26FreeseKenneth JNassau Health Care Corp2002-08-31$171,587.00FrasIvanBroome County2000-10-05$169,793.00PodolakMichael JPort Authority Of NY & NJ2003-03-22$169,014.01HayesMichael TNassau County2009-04-24$168,435.22ScullyKevin ECity Of Yonkers2008-07-18$167,227.56MurphyMichael RPort Authority Of NY & NJ2003-07-06$166,032.00DoubraskiWilliam EPort Authority Of NY & NJ2003-01-19$165,859.00DuffyKenneth MNassau County2008-02-15$165,701.07MaricleKaren MErie County Medical Cntr Corp2008-06-05$165,693.40RienzieJohn DPort Authority Of NY & NJ2007-01-27$165,624.06HassettKevinPort Authority Of NY & NJ2003-07-06$165,352.00RoccoAnthony WNassau County2009-06-18$165,304.42BarrettEdward JCity Of Yonkers2010-02-05$165,302.17GreenJeffrey SPort Authority Of NY & NJ2004-10-02$164,698.00ConradArnold RNassau Health Care Corp2010-07-24$164,457.35ClementeCarmine JNYS Power Authority2007-06-26$163,040.35PurtillThomas MTown Of Clarkstown2009-03-31$162,614.12SherwoodWilliam T IIITown Of Clarkstown2004-05-28$162,433.00BaciWayne WNassau County2008-01-02$162,318.80MurphyDaniel CCity Of Yonkers2006-01-12$161,890.59PufahlRobert WCity Of Yonkers2007-01-12$161,450.54DelucaMichael MNassau Health Care Corp2005-03-04$160,906.25PilholskiRobert ACity Of Yonkers2008-09-04$159,306.65MullerRichard JPort Authority Of NY & NJ2003-01-04$159,300.00DohertyJames JPort Authority Of NY & NJ2003-03-01$159,061.62WinslowMark FPort Authority Of NY & NJ2003-01-31$158,698.26DanchukPeterPort Authority Of NY & NJ2006-08-26$158,490.94DoranThomasNassau County2007-07-06$158,413.93BakerRobert ECity Of Yonkers2006-06-30$158,128.13RinaldiPeter LPort Authority Of NY & NJ2010-09-17$157,780.44SegaliniPaul DantePort Authority Of NY & NJ2007-06-30$157,607.49HeinemanStephanie RNorthport E Northport Pub Lib2009-07-31$157,010.81MulliganWilliam HSuffolk County2008-01-07$156,564.61Mc DonaldStephen JNassau County2007-07-31$156,385.06TigheKevin JCity Of Yonkers2009-01-03$156,304.51BarryDennis RNassau County2008-07-05$155,915.68YaleJoanNassau County2007-08-15$155,896.94ParlatoAnthony PPort Authority Of NY & NJ2003-01-18$155,612.00SchoonmakerWalter JHartsdale Fire Dist Commission2009-10-02$155,264.34EdwardsTimothy MCity Of Glen Cove2007-06-30$155,081.51AltmanAlexandraBattery Park City Authority2010-10-30$154,430.90ConroyJohn ACity Of Yonkers2008-01-25$154,312.24Di MaggioSalvatore JCity Of Yonkers2010-01-08$153,290.68ReganJames JCity Of Yonkers2008-10-31$153,276.14HoeyThomas HPort Authority Of NY & NJ2010-01-16$153,244.72MaherWilliam ECity Of Yonkers2010-01-22$152,916.54MessarFrancis J JRCity Of Yonkers2006-06-02$152,581.20HerbekRichard FVillage Of Croton-On-Hudson2008-03-28$152,262.58ShifrinKenneth IPort Authority Of NY & NJ2003-04-20$151,622.45DayRobert C JRCity Of Yonkers2008-05-16$151,170.27KiernanJohn MPort Authority Of NY & NJ2003-09-27$151,141.00FallonJohn GNassau County2010-09-15$151,084.01BregmanSteven HBellmore Memorial Library2010-02-28$151,078.08FischJosephOffice NYS Inspector General2010-12-31$150,718.78MirabellaMario SCity Of Yonkers2008-01-25
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I think it's all earned...and due to those who put their lives on the line daily the rest of the city is safe. I guess 9/11 is long forgotten and how many people are dying from exposure that day and the months that followed... At least they can prove they were there....god knows how many fraudulent claims were put in 9/11...and people continue to get compensation. Also, ALL city workers pay into their pensions,..every paycheck...this prevents some from putting into a 401(k)...UNMATCHED like the private sector. City workers do not get stock options or bonuses either....like the private sector...who get spend their holidays and weekends with their families...Happy Fathers Day to all the Dads....
Anytime any of ya wanna stay drug free(for the ones who make it 20 ) run into burning buildings, pick up garbage not knowing whats in there, in cans, etc, teach these lowlife kids in the school systems now as well as their useless parents, work in the jails(lets not even talk about this 1), and deal with the public and their videos and walk into dark alleys feel free. Don t hate because you couldn t take a city test because either you were too stupid, couldn t stay drug free or too scared.
I don't see $100,000 a year as too much - we have a lot more than that and when you add in social security and some investment income, we live very comfortably - and in this area of the country that is needed. Most people, like myself, who retired from the private sector do as well or better. Retirement is a time to enjoy, travel, vacation often and live well.
Politicians seem to make a good living after their 4 or 8 yrs in the seat. don t hear anyone else complaining. People collect disability, food stamps, welfare, free housing for years. Don t hear anyone complaining?
Here's the thing. There's information missing from this article.
One: The city forecasted this issue. In the 10-15yrs following 9/11 the city said that it would lose many members as a result of illness and injuries.
Two: FDNY retirees on average only live 7-10yrs after retiring. Hardly the lifetime lottery win that many people assume. This article, incomplete in factual content, along with the rumors that many take as facts leave readers to believe that otherwise healthy retirees are by and large scamming the system and floating off into the sunset on yachts. Now, I'm not naive, there's an issue of some bad apples in the bunch, that's true with any system of benefits; earned or otherwise, but it should not have such a detrimental effect on those who are hoping to live life as best they can with life changing injuries and/or ailments. By the way, every single one of those pension recipients had their benefits signed off on by a panel of city representatives and physicians after a great deal of scrutiny.
Three: The article doesn't take into consideration the current Tier for new hires, which is in my opinion an absolutely disgraceful attempt to curb pension costs by swinging the fiscal pendulum too far in the other direction. The Tier not only reduces the benefit by 25% from 3/4 to 1/2 of the member's salary but it is also no longer tax free. That benefit is then reduced if the person qualifies for social security disability by the amount of that benefit. There is no additional contribution allowed by the member and overtime cannot be used in the final benefit calculations. It's going too far and too drastic of an attempt to correct whatever issue lays ahead for the city.
Furthermore, please consider that if you gut the benefit system to the point where the profession becomes undesirable due to the risk involved and lack of compensation if you're indeed badly injured then who might this job appeal to and will that person consider the risk vs reward benefit of putting their life or health on the line to save you? Consider what you're asking and what your real share in the tax burden is and what it may cost all of us in the long run. Please don't add further insult to the injured and sick because of a few pathetic scammers and if you're really outraged by the tax burden of benefits I suggest looking into those who do nothing whatsoever to contribute to their benefits or society and truly strain the system, one term politicians who collect salaries and benefits for life, etc.
Don't hurt the men and women who put the safety and lives of you and your families ahead of their own.
People seem to realize that WE yes WE pay into it every check, like we pay taxes every check. Tell me how many people getting public assistance, free medical, food stamps , free housing pay into that. no body was complaining in the 60 s 70 s and 80s when we were making 20 30k a year. Deal with it. If ya dont like it move to idaho
@M.I. Organized theft, no matter what it is marketed as, is THEFT. The power of the municipal unions is unbelievable: theft is entitlement, cowardice is heroic, sloth is ambition. Political chips and a complicit media narrative ensure the gross theft will be perpetual and exponential.
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