Insulted, Disgusted and Angry about Public Abuse

After reading recent articles by Jon Lender for his Government Watch column in the Hartford Courant, it is absolutely clear to me (and hopefully every Connecticut citizen) that the state and public sector requires more accountability and major changes to its time keeping, salary and benefit systems and regulations.  

Benjamin Quinones, fired from his job as a police officer at a Middletown state mental hospital for claiming false overtime hours, met legal requirements for obtaining his retirement and health benefits, per the state comptroller's office. He receives health insurance for himself and his spouse for life and a pension of approximately $73,000, versus a salary of approximately $83,000. Needless to say, Mr. Quinones collected very heavy overtime pay for years as lieutenant to warrant the $73,000 per year retirement benefit. 

Mr Quinones filed for retirement on March 21, 2011, after an investigation revealed that he applied for 528 hours of overtime that he did not work. Wow!

The disputed 528 overtime hours did not contribute funds towards his pension, however one has to wonder if the overtime hours that did contribute to Mr. Quinones pension are actually earned hours. Its a fair question, however it appears that the state cannot provide this answer. So citizens foot the bill for Mr. Quinones' benefits, plus his previous earnings that well exceeded $110,000 and may have approached $148,000 in some years. 

This lack of accountability at the state level and, honestly, all levels, demonstrates that state agencies are not capable of self-monitoring. Also in question is the entire benefits package, the work rules, and the penalty for committing such a crime.

Even more frustrating, insulting and disgusting is that the state employment and management system has failed Connecticut citizens. This makes me very angry, when our tax dollars are improperly allocated or stolen. Note: Suffield has a track record that has parallels on a smaller scale.