There’s hope yet for New Yorkers out raged by the soaring numbers of per fectly healthy public employees who manage to retire on hugely expensive “disability” pensions.
After The Post reported several stunning cases of apparent abuse, Fire Commissioner Sal Cassano this week said that the FDNY pension board would review such pensions if there’s evidence to suggest they’re undeserved. It’s about time.
Tops on his list might be the pension of, say, retired firefighter John Giuffrida, who — as The Post revealed last month — pockets $74,624 a year in “disability” money, even as he participates in championship-level martial-arts bouts.
Or retired Lt. John “Johnny Lungs” McLaughlin, who — as The Post also reported — rakes in $86,000 a year, while competing in marathons and triathlons.
Let’s be honest: These reviews are long overdue.
Disability-pension costs have skyrocketed, with 84 percent of 405 FDNY retirees in 2009 qualifying for these tax-free bonanzas.
The price tag will hit $7.6 billion this year, up from $1.4 billion in 2002.
True, some of these pensions are Ground Zero-related. And, by law, heart and lung illnesses of firefighters who worked at that site — as Giuffrida did — are presumed to be job-related.
But is he truly “disabled” if he can compete in martial-arts bouts? Are others?
Even before 9/11, half of all firefighters were qualifying for disability pensions.
Something stinks here.
It’s time to put an end to it.