Long Island school-district superintendents are cashing in big time when they retire — with some raking in annual pensions of more than $300,000, newly released data reveals.
There are four retired educators from the island receiving the gold-plated pensions — the highest in the state outside of New York City, according to 2019 New York State Teacher Retirement System data analyzed by the Empire Center for Public Policy and posted on its seethroughny.net website.
The wealthy former educators include James Feltman, an ex-superintendent of Commack Schools, who is drawing a $327,006 annual pension.
Sheldon Karnilow, the former superintendent of Half Hollow Hills, is raking in $323,4442.
Former Syosset schools chief Carole Hankin enjoys a $320,548 pension.
And James Hunderfund, another superintendent of Commack Schools, receives a $318,081 pension. After collecting his pension, Hunderfund landed another job as Malverne schools superintendent. Records show he earned a salary of $242,349 in 2018 from Malverne, according to Patch.
The Post first reported on Hunderfund in 2010 when he was listed as the pension king. The three others have now surpassed him.
Feltman, who retired in 2010 after 43 years of credited service, declined comment to The Post, while Karnilow, who retired in 2011 after 45 years of service, was unable to be reached.
Hankin, who retired in 2013 after 39 years of service, told The Post, “The pension is set by New York law. The people who work have nothing to do with it. There was no choice.
“The job was wonderful and fulfilling,” she added.
Hunderfund referred questions to the Malverne school district, where a rep had no comment.
One budget analyst blasted the six-figure pensions as far higher than the typical salary of a Nassau or Suffolk county taxpayer.
“Three-hundred-thousand-dollar pensions?! It’s getting ridiculous,” said George Marlin, a former director at the Nassau County Interim Finance Authority. “It’s absolutely crazy.”
The latest figures for New York City have not yet been released, but in 2018, the highest pension-getters included a Queens College history professor who was taking in $561,754 annually.
Additional reporting by Lorena Mongelli