From the New York Times > ATLANTIC CITY — As this fading gambling mecca reels on the edge of bankruptcy, its finances scrutinized by a host of auditors, some objectionable expenses have bobbed to the surface. But none have drawn such broad resentment as the realization that Atlantic City pays about $1 million a year to provide pensions for retired lifeguards.
In much of the Northeast, lifeguard stands are the province of youth, teenagers and college students making the most of a break between semesters. But members of the Atlantic City Beach Patrol return year after year, lured by the prospect of turning a summer on the sand into a lifetime of payouts.
Some, like Norman Draper, 69, are collecting $15,000 or more annually for stretching a temporary beach job into a second career — a modest sum, but still an unusual amount for seasonal work. In Mr. Draper’s case, the gig lasted for 51 summers.