MacIver News Service | March 26, 2013
Former Milwaukee County Executive F. Thomas Ament made news on a daily basis back in 2002 because of a pension scandal that rocked the county. This scandal led to the dismissal of multiple county employees and eventually the resignation of Ament.
The scandal was first brought to light in an article from Bruce Murphy for MilwaukeeWorld.com. Murphy, now the editor at UrbanMilwaukee.com, wrote a story detailing the benefits that county employees would receive from two distinct votes from the Milwaukee County Board. The board overwhelmingly voted to pass Ament’s plans, which included a lump sum in excess of $2 million and a lifetime pension for Ament himself.
While the scandal may have ended back in 2002, the massive lump sum payments and generous pensions continue on. UrbanMilwaukee.com recently updated the original story with a listing of the highest lump sum payments paid out by the county.
Jeramey Jannene of UrbanMilwaukee.com reports that, “To date, 1,712 county employees have collected a backdrop benefit, which is in addition to their monthly pension. Some 740 people have gotten at least a $100,000 lump sum benefit, 255 have gotten at least $250,000 and 40 received at least $500,000.”
See the full report from UrbanMilwaukee.com and the complete spreadsheet by clicking here.