by KYW's Mike Dunn
The controversy over lump-sum pension payouts for city employees is heating up, with word that three more city councilmembers are lining up for them.
Philadelphia's "DROP" program -- for Deferred Retirement Option Plan -- was created during the Rendell years mainly to keep police and firefighters from retiring early. It gives workers a hefty lump sum when they do retire if they stay on board longer.
Now comes word that City Council president Anna Verna and councilmembers Frank Rizzo and Frank DiCicco have applied for the program, and that latter two have been approved.
Rizzo (in file photo at right) defends the move:
"It's a program that's available to city employees. I'm a city employee. I don't know why we would be treated any differently than any other city employee."
But the political watchdog group Committee of 70 believes that DROP was never meant to include elected officials. Mayor-elect Nutter agrees and vows to change the plan after he assumes office.
Also signed up for DROP is Mayor Street, who gets a lump sum topping $450,000 -- in addition to his pension.
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