Most double dipping used as intended

There are now 38 public employees around the state using the so-called "double dip" which allows them to collect retirement while still working and making a salary.

According to the list presented lawmakers by Public Employees Retirement System Director George Pyne, nearly all of them are in education.

That was the stated purpose of Assembly Bill 555 when it was approved by the 2001 Legislature -- to encourage veteran teachers in hard-to-fill specialties to stay on the job even though eligible for retirement.

The program drew some objections from lawmakers when it was used to allow Public Safety Director Richard Kirkland and his chief deputy Dave Kieckbusch to get both salary and retirement.

Assemblyman Doug Bache, D-Las Vegas, whose committee processed the legislation, said at the time the legislation was intended to keep special education, math and other teachers from retiring early, not to pad the paychecks of state executives.

According to figures Pyne presented the legislative Retirement and Benefits Committee Wednesday, all those in the program except the four state public safety employees are in education. In fact, 23 of the 38 are with Clark County in positions ranging from music, math and science teachers to special education teachers, psychologists and speech therapists.

Carson City has used the legislation to keep two principals and a capital development officer on staff in addition to two teachers and a bus driver.

Only one local government, Henderson, has used the legislation to keep a tech support specialist on at its library.

One position each in the Eureka, Lander, Lyon and Nye county school districts was filled using AB 555.

The only four non-education posts are those at the state: Kirkland and Kieckbusch, a parole board member and the highway patrol's southern Nevada traffic pilot.

Pyne said his staff will report to the 2005 Legislature on what affect, if any, the legislation is having on the retirement system.