State senate stint would pad pension

If he wins a Senate seat, Bob Butterworth would take a pay cut. But his pension would still grow.

By LUCY MORGAN, Times Tallahassee Bureau Chief

© St. Petersburg Times
published July 30, 2002

TALLAHASSEE -- If he's elected to the state Senate in November, Attorney General Bob Butterworth will keep his hand in state politics.

It also means his state pension will keep growing.

Although he would trade a full-time Cabinet post that pays $121,000 a year for a part-time job that pays $29,328, the change would have a big impact on his pension.

Butterworth, 59, has 22 years in the state retirement system and an average high salary of $116,055. He is now entitled to a pension of 64 percent of that average, but would get an extra 3 percent for every year he serves in the Senate.

If Butterworth were to remain for eight years before term limits forced him out, he would get 88 percent of the $116,055.

Butterworth says he's not in it for the money. "I believe I'll be losing money by serving in the Senate," he said Monday. "If I did anything else, I would be better off financially, but when weighed against public service, it didn't matter."

Had Butterworth sought another state Cabinet post as Democrats urged him to do, he would have ended his public career with an even bigger pension, he noted.

Butterworth stunned the state's political community last week when he filed to run for the Senate instead of a Cabinet seat or governor. Democrats have tried for years to get him to run for governor, but he has declined.

Elected attorney general in 1986, Butterworth was forced out this year because of term limits approved by voters in 1992 for all legislators and Cabinet members.

Butterworth said Monday he would not have considered the Senate race if Sen. Debby Sanderson, R-Fort Lauderdale, the incumbent, had decided to seek re-election.

"Debby and I go back a long ways," Butterworth said.

Until the seat was vacated, Butterworth said he was eyeing possible jobs with foundations or law schools. Now he's seeking a new career as a lawmaker.

"I believe a lot of bad things have been stopped over the last few years by the Florida Senate because of leaders like Presidents John McKay and Toni Jennings and Sens. Don Sullivan, Daryl Jones and Jack Latvala," Butterworth said. "All of those people will be gone; we are losing some good people. I think I can make a difference. "After 16 years in Tallahassee, it was time for me to come home, but I still wanted to be in public service," Butterworth added.

Butterworth never moved his full-time residence to Tallahassee. He bought an apartment in the state capital and commuted to his Broward County home on weekends. His wife, Marta Prado, is an executive with a medical company.

"Now Marta has to keep working," he joked as he talked about the possibility of a much lower state salary.

Butterworth could have additional income, depending on what else he decides to do. Legislative jobs in Florida are considered part time, and many lawmakers are lawyers, teachers or business people.

Gov. Jeb Bush predicted Monday that Butterworth will be defeated by Rep. Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, the Republican who had hoped to inherit the Senate seat when Sanderson stepped aside.

"I have a great relationship with Bob Butterworth, but my prediction is he's going to lose to Jeff Atwater," Bush told reporters. "Jeff Atwater is a rising star ... mark that down as a prediction on July 29."

Bush said he'll campaign for Atwater to help make it happen.

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