What is the best part of a nightmare?

When you wake up and it is over.

The folks in California do not have that luxury as they get to live the nightmare that defines their public pension system everyday. In fact, the nightmare is getting scarier. How so?

The “not so exclusive” California $100,000 Club continues to experience explosive growth. Let’s check in on this club which since last we checked a year ago has seen close to a 25% increase in size.

Thanks to the folks at Fix Pensions First for this fabulous expose,

12,199 retired California government workers receive pensions in excess of $100,000

They’re all listed here.

The information below was obtained under the Freedom of Information Act from the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS). This list may be be updated periodically with more pensioners as more data is obtained.

THE TOP 10 LIST

Name Monthly Annual Employer Malkenhorst, Bruce V $44,189.02 $530,268.24 Vernon Fuster, Joaquin M $26,226.08 $314,712.96 UC Los Angeles Gerth, Donald R $24,590.52 $295,086.24 CSU Sacramento Garret, William $24,129.46 $289,553.52 El Cajon Stahl, James F $23,289.98 $279,479.76 LA Co Sanit #2 Schlag, John D $22,604.16 $271,249.92 UC Los Angeles Southard, Glenn D $22,596.42 $271,157.04 Indio Adams, Randy G $22,119.79 $265,437.48 Bell Newell, George T $21,708.82 $260,505.84 Santa Clara County Schachter, Julius $21,470.66 $257,647.92 UC San Francisco

When we checked in on this club a year ago, it had 9,812 members. The club is going to need a bigger tree house as the last report just recently released counts the membership at a staggering 12,199 individuals. How does a club like this grow so large so fast? I maintained a year ago and repeat today,

What makes the entrance into this club so special is the ability of the members to curry favor with those controlling the purse strings. Smell a little funny? Just a little? See the real entrance into this club is effectively a circuitous system of ‘payoffs’ and ‘kickbacks’ with the ultimate costs borne by average American citizens.

Juxtapose the recent headcount of 12,119 next to the at 9,812 released in June 2011. That mental image of California sliding into the Pacific Ocean under the weight of these pension obligations is becoming ever more real. Look at thes trend lines.

No way to run a state . . . let alone a country!!

Larry Doyle

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I have no affiliation or business interest with any entity referenced in this commentary. The opinions expressed are my own. I am a proponent of real transparency within our markets so that investor confidence and investor protection can be achieved.

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