By Hank Russell
A recent report from The Empire Center found that four out of five educators who collected more than $300,000 in pensions are from Long Island.
Based on data from SeeThroughNY and figures obtained from the New York State Teachers Retirement System by the think tank, James A. Feltman of the Commack Union Free School District collected the largest pension benefit last year in the amount of $328,968. Feltman retired in 2010.
Sheldon Karnilow of Half Hollow Hills Central Schools, who retired in 2011, collected a $325,404 pension. Carole Hankin of Syosset Central Schools received $322,510 last year (Hankin retired in 2013) and James H. Hunderfund, who retired in 2006, collected a pension of $320,043.
The figures reflect the maximum allowable pension benefits for each retiree in 2025, including cost-of-living adjustments and other supplements the retiree received, if any.
Of the 172,533 retirees who received benefits in 2025, sixty-nine were eligible for pensions of more than $200,000, according to The Empire Center. The top five earners in that bracket were Thomas C. Shea of South Huntington Union Free Schools ($295,824), Richard T. Brande and Shelley Saffer of Brookhaven-Comsewogue Union Free Schools — who collected $294,467 and $292,023, respectively — Herb R. Brown of Oceanside Union Free Schools ($287,774) and Anna F. Hunderfund of Locust Valley Central Schools ($271,815).
In addition, 6,322 were eligible for pensions over $100,000, the Empire Center found. The top five Long Island educators earning more than that amount were Lisa J. Ruiz of East Rockaway Union Free Schools ($199,297), Jonathan P. Van Eyk of Mount Sinai Union Free Schools ($198,885), Thomas J. Caramore of Bellmore-Merrick Central Schools ($198,001), Peter C. Scordo of Elwood Union Free Schools ($197,534) and Barbara A. Bauer of Jericho Union Free Schools ($196,143).
The think tank also discovered that, among the new retirees, 431, or 15%, were eligible for pensions over $100,000. That includes Gerald Cozine, who retired from Great Neck Schools, with a pension of $156,844, and Juanita Bryantbell, who retired from Uniondale Public Schools, with a pension of $155,414. Further, Suffolk and Nassau averaged $97,713 in pensions for 363 retirees and $96,277 for 338 retirees.
“As state lawmakers consider enhancing retirement benefits for government workers, fresh data from the Empire Center confirm that existing pensions are generous compared to national norms,” the think tank stated.