Thomas Butler can take you to school on the study of double-dipping in New Jersey.
Since he retired as a superintendent 18 years ago, Butler has held 23 jobs as an interim or temporary chief at public school districts in 12 different counties. While continuing to draw six-figure salaries from taxpayers, he has pocketed $1.2 million in state pension checks.
At present, Butler collects $212,340 a year – $135,000 in salary as interim superintendent of Mendham Borough schools in Morris County, plus a $77,340 pension as a retired educator. He says he saves the school district money as it searches for a permanent head.
"I'm in this just to help the district out," said Butler. However, the brunt of double-dipping falls on the state's troubled pension system, which faces a shortfall of nearly $42 billion.
A New Jersey Watchdog investigation found 45 retirees have worked as interim superintendents so far during the current school year. They use a loophole in pension law to collectively receive more than $4 million annually from the state Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund in addition to executive pay from districts.
The full story – plus a list of double-dipping superintendents – is now online at http://newjersey.watchdog.org. New Jersey Watchdog partnered with NBC 4 New York to produce the investigative report.
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