Council miffed over plans to drop them from DROP

By: Tom MacDonald

Members of Philadelphia City Council are up in arms over a move by Mayor Nutter to end a retirement incentive payment program. WHYY’s Tom MacDonald reports some are eligible for a half million dollars or more through the DROP program, which takes up to four years of pension payments and gives it to workers in a lump sum on the day they retire.

By: Tom MacDonald
tmacdonald@whyy.org

Members of Philadelphia City Council are up in arms over a move by Mayor Nutter to end a retirement incentive payment program. WHYY’s Tom MacDonald reports some are eligible for a half million dollars or more through the DROP program, which takes up to four years of pension payments and gives it to workers in a lump sum on the day they retire.
Caption: Councilman Bill Green (left) and Councilwoman Marian Tasco (right)
Transcript:
Past elected officials have retired for a day, taken their payments, and resumed their political careers. Councilwoman Marian Tasco says Council Members are city workers, and a bill to stop elected officials from taking advantage of the program is wrong.

Tasco: “If they can provide a definitive argument as to why we shouldn’t be in the DROP program we are willing to listen.”

Council President Anna Verna says she has worked for the city for 51 years and is entitled to her over half-million dollar drop check.

Verna: “I’ve been paying for all that time so I feel that I’m entitled to it just like every other employee.”

Councilman Bill Green proposed a similar bill shortly after taking office.

Green: “The Mayor knows that the bill isn’t going to go anywhere and the question I have is why would he choose to introduce it at this time.”

Listen:
Click on the play button below or right click on this link and choose “Save Link As” to download. [audio: reports20090326council.mp3]