Public Pension Fraud

From an important article by Philip K. Howard:

The indictment of seven Long Island Rail Road workers for disability fraud last week cast a spotlight on a troubled government agency. Until recently, over 90% of LIRR workers retired with a disability—even those who worked desk jobs—adding about $36,000 to their annual pensions. The cost to New York taxpayers over the past decade was $300 million. That’s 30,000 New York state households who each paid $10,000 extra in taxes—to pay for a fraud.