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State Representative Joe Atkins
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-4192
For more information contact: Ted Modrich 651-296-5809
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REP. ATKINS CALLS FOR AUDIT OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN RETIREMENT PAYOUTS
Lawmaker’s Request for Legislative Hearing Refused
(St. Paul, MN) — As has been widely reported, 15 of the largest 15 retirement payouts in the past year to state government employees were to Minnesota State College and University executives, with payouts of up to $319,000 in unused sick time, vacation time and severance.
“The ability to cash out six-figure sums upon retirement appears to make MnSCU an outlier not merely compared to the private sector, but compared to other state agencies and departments as well," said State Rep. Joe Atkins (D – Inver Grove Heights), who requested on November 18 that the House Higher Education Finance Committee schedule a hearing to look into the issue. That hearing request was declined by the Republican Chair of the Higher Education Committee. Senator Mike Parry, the Republican Chair of the Senate State Government Finance Committee issued a press release saying he will hold a hearing, but hasn’t followed up with a date.
In light of the millions of dollars in question and the inaction by legislative committees, Atkins today requested the Office of the Legislative Auditor to examine this use of student tuition and taxpayer dollars.
According to Atkins, the purpose of such an audit would be to examine the compensation in question, ascertain its size and scope, the purpose it serves, and determine whether there has been appropriate oversight and transparency relative to these payouts.
“I am not proposing a rush to judgment, nor am I faulting any individual MnSCU employee or official for bargaining strenuously for the best compensation package possible,” added Rep. Atkins. “An audit will help determine the extent to which greater oversight, transparency and reforms are necessary.”
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- Rep. Atkins to Hold Minnesota House Hearing on Economic Impact of Hockey Lockout - (Posted: Jan 2 2013 3:20PM)
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