Fixing Public Sector Pensions by Attending a Taxpayer Paid Conference in HAWAII? ... THE ATTENDANCE JUSTIFICATION TOOL KIT

My fellow Americans --- You're not going to believe this, but it's true. Painfully true.

The self serving government knows best gang is at it again.

The National Conference on Public Employee Retirement Systems is coming up and will be held in Hawaii this year. Last year's conference was held at an equally 'low cost' venue -- the New York Hilton.

The Attendance Justification Tool Kit  pointedly says that '"Aloha" means both hello to good times and goodbye tax dollars.'

This continuing taxpayer ripoff story by public sector officials is just too incredible not to quote from extensively:

"Do you manage a public-sector pension fund? If so, you've got a rough job. Unless you do it right, and probably even if you do, the obligations for which you're responsible will probably bankrupt the government sooner or later, thanks to irresponsible politicians, greedy unions, plunging fertility rates and slow economic growth.

You could probably use a getaway, and hey, the state isn't broke yet. As long as there are still tax dollars lying around, why not use a few of them to treat yourself to a trip to Hawaii?

Yes, it's that time of year: The annual conference of the National Conference on Public Employee Retirement Systems is coming up. That's right, it's a metaconference! . . .

 

Justify this.

You're probably thinking: Especially at a time like this, is a junket to a tropical paradise really a wise expenditure of taxpayer dollars? Ha ha, just kidding. But some killjoy austerians actually do think such thoughts, so you should be ready to counter them. That's where the Attendance Justification Tool Kit comes in.

"Aren't sure how to talk to your board about attending the Annual Conference?" asks the National Conference's website. "Here's some help. The information below will provide you with a framework for formally stating your case for attending the NCPERS 2013 Annual Conference in Hawaii."

There are links to four documents, two "justification letters," which you can "edit to personalize your message"; a fact sheet titled "Budget-Conscious Planning," and another called "Seven Tips for Building Your Case for Attending the 2013 Annual Conference."

We can add an eighth tip: Don't mention Hawaii. The only mention of the conference's location is in the "Budget-Conscious Planning" sheet, which notes that hotel rooms at the Hilton Hawaiian Village are less expensive than at the Hilton New York.

Does that mean the National Conference is good at picking out economical locations? No, it turns out they use New York as the point of comparison not only because it's expensive but also because that was the site of last year's annual conference! . . .

The National Conference's justification letters don't mention the conference's location, and neither should you. If your supervisor asks you where the conference is, be evasive. Suggested answer: "I don't know. I think maybe Detroit.""

Summing Up

What more is there to say?

Isn't government great?

And aren't our tax dollars always going for a good cause?

Aren't we lucky to be "served" by such an unselfish group of public servants?

It's all about OPM and for the government aristocrats, there's never enough of that.

That's my take.

Thanks. Bob.