Whoa, I almost missed this part of the story! Check it out:
Bob Loux, Grand Propaganda Poobah for Nevada’s Nuclear Waste Policy Office, didn’t just redistribute funds in the form of unauthorized 2008 raises. Apparently he’s been over-paying himself and his staff for years.
According to figures released by the governor’s office yesterday, Loux over-paid himself and his staff (i.e. exceeded his budgeted salary amount) for fiscal year 2007 by 6.69 percent. This year, he exceeded his budget by 12.06 percent. And for next year, he was planning to exceed by 18.99 percent.
As for his personal salary, Loux was budgeted to be paid $114,088 this year but jacked up his salary more than 27 percent to $145,718. He was budgeted to be paid $114,088 again next year (due to the statewide salary freeze) but set himself up to rake in $151,542 instead.
Here’s the kicker: These raises look to be about more than just the immediate extra cash. Turns out Loux is eligible to retire on October 8, 2008. And his already generous retirement package will/would reported be based on his ending salaries for his final three years of service. So it sure appears as if Loux was jacking up his salary in an effort to rip off taxpayers for higher retirement benefit over the next twenty or thirty years.
Assemblyman Morse Arberry was right on Tuesday. Bob Loux shouldn’t just be fired; he ought to be prosecuted and thrown in jail. AND stripped of his inflated retirement benefit.
(Hat Tip to Chuck Muth’s News and Views.)
2008 September 19
Isn’t this just a bit petty at this point in time. Look at the big picture. Do you want to be living with nuclear waste down the road? Come on Nevada don’t forget that there is a very important battle going on here. There is an old cliche, but you know what they say about cliches, they are around for a reason. Should the state of Nevada cut off its nose to spite its face? I say use Box Loux and his years of knowledge, experience, and expertise now. Stop the dump!