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She faced $82,000 question
A Social Security error brings panic, not joy, to a retiree.
By ELENA LESLEY, Times Staff Writer
Published August 21, 2007
TARPON SPRINGS - When the government tried to give Jessie Burke $82,000, she panicked. "I read the letter and burst into tears," she said of the correspondence she received Thursday from the Social Security Administration. "It could have been an awful mess." Burke immediately dialed Washington, D.C. She told officials she couldn't understand why her disability payments would jump from $775 a month to a whopping $82,000. She feared the government would soon realize its error - but not before bungling her Medicare coverage and monthly payments. "It's Looney Tunes," she said. "The government is ruthless when there's overpayment." Burke, 65, is studied in the ways of government bureaucracy. Tarpon Springs' most vocal watchdog, Burke is a presence at all City Commission meetings and has been a lead crusader in trying to relocate hazardous waste left in a Superfund site just north of the city by the Stauffer Chemical Co. Burke thinks the contamination caused the death of her husband, a former company employee. She's not planning to give up the fight anytime soon. Burke plans to have "Murdered by Stauffer" engraved on her and her husband's tombstone. So Burke didn't run to cash in on federal dollars when she received Thursday's letter. She's too wary of government for that. While she said she wrestled with temptation "for around 10 minutes," Burke decided she had to alert authorities. "No matter how you slice it, that's theft." Representatives from the Office of Inspector General couldn't explain how the error occurred, but told Burke such glitches were extremely rare. Patti Patterson, a spokeswoman for the Social Security Administration, said Burke's letter was most likely the result of a computer-generated typographical error. The administration adjusted her monthly payments down to a more reasonable $807 a month. Representatives explained that since Burke recently reached retirement age, she is now eligible for a full widow's benefit - an additional $52 a month. It may not be a five figure check, but Burke has already made some lifestyle changes. Said Burke: "I canceled Meals on Wheels today!" Elena Lesley can be reached at elesley@sptimes.com or 727 445-4167.
[Last modified August 21, 2007, 00:18:42]
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by Lulu
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08/23/07 07:54 AM
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Sounds like they were trying to bribe her to quit her protests against the government. Don't mind me, but I don't trust our government leadership at all.
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by Newsaroo
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08/22/07 01:57 PM
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Take the money and run!
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by Cheryl
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08/22/07 01:17 PM
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The government rarely makes mistakes??
The government making mistakes is more the rule than the exception.
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by Big W
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08/22/07 08:37 AM
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George Bush is to blame for this. He uses his "fuzzy math" when he writes these checks.
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by bobbi
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08/21/07 09:02 PM
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while the article says the recipient is entitled to an additional $52 per month,the article states that her payment of $775 was adjusted to $807 per month.This amounts to a $32.00 increase.If corrected her payment should be $827-hence the err $82007.
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by Carol
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08/21/07 02:50 PM
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Let's not forget that SS was designed as a supplement to peoples own retirement - it was never meant to represent your whole monthly retirement income. If you're living on SS only, you didn't plan for your future.
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by Rob
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08/21/07 01:14 PM
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It wasnt $82.00 it was 82,000.00
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by Dorothy
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08/21/07 01:06 PM
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Mrs. Burke demonstrates integrity and stands for principle time and time again. Even though the dollar figures may not substantiate this, she is a very wealthy lady and a beloved patriot.
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by Mary
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08/21/07 08:57 AM
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With everyone who has to struggle that is on ss and medicare they deserve $82.00 a month. The goverment spends money on other countries in the amount of billions. Why can't the goverment offer higher disability and benefits to this country.
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