Limits set for public double dippers

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - Choosing between a salary and a pension can be tough, but it's a choice hundreds of government employees will soon have to face.

On Friday lawmakers passed a "double dipping" bill intending to cut the number of workers who retire and return to work tapping their salary and pension at the same time.

News 13 investigative reporter Larry Barker recently uncovered double dipping into public money which raised questions about whether the current law was being followed.

Under the new bill double dippers would have to choose either to cut their paycheck to $30,000 or cut out their pension payments.

Take as one example Bernalillo County Deputy Manager Dan Mayfield who took leave for the required 90 days before going in for the double dip drawing a pension plus a salary of nearly $93,000.

Under the new legislation, a new retiree would have to sit out for a year. But the new retiree and Mayfield will only be able to collect $30,000 in public salary after July 2010 if they want pension pay too.

That's unless the boss declares the job critical, in which case they can double dip for two more years

An amendment in the bill allows police and firefighters to double dip for five years.

Barker's investigation showed many of the people he profiled skirted the law by not sitting out the required 90 days first.

The bill does not address penalties for them.

Lawmakers said they expect Gov. Bill Richardson to sign the bill.