Editorial: Don’t let state chiefs take advantage of law

Tuesday, April 15, 2003 | 9:55 a.m.

Prior to 2001, someone enrolled in the Public Employees Retirement System -- a fund covering every city, county and state worker in Nevada -- couldn't collect a pension while working for another government agency in the state. But the Legislature in 2001 created an exemption, allowing former government employees in Nevada to keep their pensions if they were hired for state government jobs where critical shortages existed. It was supposed to be a recruiting tool, mainly for hiring public school teachers. But the law was abused shortly after it became effective. Most notably, the state Board of Examiners -- comprised of the governor, secretary of state and attorney general -- allowed Dick Kirkland, the new director of Public Safety, to receive his $103,000 salary and take his $70,000 retirement pay from his 29 years at the Reno Police Department.

In response to the decision involving Kirkland and others, last week the Assembly Government Affairs Committee recommended that legislation be passed preventing administrative heads from taking advantage of the exemption, a situation that made a mockery of the law. Besides, it is ridiculous to think that there was a shortage of credible candidates to take the job that Kirkland filled. The Legislature should follow the lead of the Government Affairs Committee and prevent state government executives from receiving both their salaries and government pensions.