LAS VEGAS (AP) — Nevada governments are using the state pension system to boost the income of public employees.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reportedFriday the practice, though legal, costs taxpayers at least $23 million a year in pension and salary.
Over the past few years, hundreds of Clark County School District staff drew pensions and salaries based on an exemption that allows the extra payments for workers who fill jobs that are certified as "critical" and lack applicants. But an investigation by the Las Vegas Review-Journal found after 143 of those authorizations expired, nearly half of the employees stayed in the jobs, despite losing the pension payments.
Two dozen elected officials collect salaries and pensions at the same time, including eight politicians who use the arrangement to make more than $250,000 annually.