Report: 4 retired superintendents from Long Island earned pensions more than $300K last year

A new report compiled by the Empire Center for Public Policy says four retired superintendents from Long Island school districts earned pensions of more than $300,000 last year.

News 12 Staff

Feb 3, 2020, 10:10 PM

Updated 1,541 days ago

Share:

A new report compiled by the Empire Center for Public Policy says four retired superintendents from Long Island school districts earned pensions of more than $300,000 last year.
The top 10 school superintendent pension recipients statewide all retired from districts on Long Island.
Two of the top four superintendents on the list retired from the school district in Commack. One of them, James Hunderfund, went on to become the school superintendent in Malverne, earning more than $500,000 per year when combined with his Commack pension and his Malverne salary.
Hunderfund's wife, Anna Hunderfund, will receive a $600,000 payout from the Locust Valley School District upon her retirement at the end of this school year.
Municipal finance expert George Marlin says in the near future, pensions like these may prove unsustainable.
"Getting 300 grand is egregious, No. 1. No. 2, the system wasn't set up for that. The system was to give you a helping hand, just like Social Security," said Marlin.
A spokesperson from the Commack School District points out that pension totals are calculated by the state comptroller's office, not the local districts, and pensions are ultimately paid out by a state retirement fund. 


More from News 12
1:48
Police release photos of vehicle involved in 2022 fatal drive-by shooting in Ronkonkoma in hope of leads

Police release photos of vehicle involved in 2022 fatal drive-by shooting in Ronkonkoma in hope of leads

1:54
Chance for showers Wednesday; cooldown for the end of the workweek

Chance for showers Wednesday; cooldown for the end of the workweek

Santos bows out of independent run for NY's 1st Congressional District

Santos bows out of independent run for NY's 1st Congressional District

0:23
Police: 5 teens caught on camera trespassing into Patchogue building

Police: 5 teens caught on camera trespassing into Patchogue building

1:40
Remains of 7 WWII vets found at Freeport funeral home

Remains of 7 WWII vets found at Freeport funeral home

0:34
DA: Syosset man pleads guilty in DWI crash that killed married couple in Laurel Hollow

DA: Syosset man pleads guilty in DWI crash that killed married couple in Laurel Hollow

0:23
Huntington artist designs stamps now available for purchase at USPS locations

Huntington artist designs stamps now available for purchase at USPS locations

1:57
3 families displaced by fast-moving fire at North Amityville home

3 families displaced by fast-moving fire at North Amityville home

2:53
Sachem schools consider staffing and program cuts, piercing tax cap as budget vote looms

Sachem schools consider staffing and program cuts, piercing tax cap as budget vote looms

0:29
Jericho named Long Island's top rated high school by U.S. News and World Report

Jericho named Long Island's top rated high school by U.S. News and World Report

0:51
NCC working with food truck vendors to provide food for rest of semester

NCC working with food truck vendors to provide food for rest of semester

Is your mom awesome? Long Island tell us why your Mom Rocks!

Is your mom awesome? Long Island tell us why your Mom Rocks!

1:42
Made on Long Island: Nicolock Paving Stones in Lindenhurst

Made on Long Island: Nicolock Paving Stones in Lindenhurst

0:48
9 steps to take if your ‘fur-ever’ friend goes missing

9 steps to take if your ‘fur-ever’ friend goes missing

1:54
Ronkonkoma woman pleads not guilty to 49 counts of animal cruelty

Ronkonkoma woman pleads not guilty to 49 counts of animal cruelty

1:33
Hampton Bays woman retrieves phone, wallet she accidently dumped into recycling bin nearly 3 weeks ago

Hampton Bays woman retrieves phone, wallet she accidently dumped into recycling bin nearly 3 weeks ago

0:32
Spartans chosen as new mascot for Brentwood school district

Spartans chosen as new mascot for Brentwood school district

0:19
Police: 2 people hospitalized following Lawrence crash

Police: 2 people hospitalized following Lawrence crash

2:12
Amityville schools to receive $2 million from new state budget to help reduce budget deficit, save jobs

Amityville schools to receive $2 million from new state budget to help reduce budget deficit, save jobs

0:17
Man wanted for stealing $1,000 in merchandise from Centereach store

Man wanted for stealing $1,000 in merchandise from Centereach store