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Tim Hoefer (518) 434-3100

The names, pension benefit rates and retirement dates of more than 16,000 New York City Fire Department retirees were added to SeeThroughNY today, the Empire Center’s government transparency web site.

The average benefit of all retired firefighters was $55,235, but for those who retired in 2010 the average was $89,177. The data show a total of $886 million in benefits paid out last year. Frank Cruthers, a former first deputy commissioner who retired in 2010, earned the highest benefit at $217,753, while only one other retiree collects more than $200,000. Eight percent of retired firefighters – a total of 1,267 — received a benefit over $100,000. Breaking down the benefit ranges further:

• 12 retirees have benefits between $175,000 and $200,000;
• 76 retirees have benefits between $150,000 and $175,000;
• 321 retirees have benefits between $125,000 and $150,000; and
• 857 retirees have benefits between $100,000 and $150,000.

A table listing the top 100 New York City Fire Department pensioners is available here.

SeeThroughNY allows the public to examine government expenditures on the Internet. In addition to pension data for former state and local governments and school districts, it includes payrolls for New York State and New York City government, counties, municipalities, public authorities and school districts throughout the state. Also posted are state legislator office expenditures, pork barrel “member item” spending, and a benchmarking feature for comparing local government and school district spending. The site was launched July 31, 2008.

The Albany-based Empire Center is a non-partisan, independent think tank.