Post by Logan on Feb 21, 2016 6:22:05 GMT -6
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Governor Raimondo is trying again to convince lawmakers to repeal the state law that gives them final say over pay raises for the cabinet-level directors who run state government agencies.
Governors before her have tried and failed — as she did last year — to convince the General Assembly to do away with this law. It requires public hearings (in March of each year) on the appropriate level of pay for each director when compared with salaries in other states and "in comparable positions anywhere which require similar skills, experience, or training." Lawmakers then have 30 days to reject the raises, or they become law.
Raimondo essentially wants the freedom to raise the directors' salaries as she sees fit, and then let the directors automatically receive the same across-the-board raises periodically given other non-union employees in state government.
As things stand, "you can't recruit the best people, because if the best person costs $145,000, the governor can't offer that person $145,000," said Department of Administration Deputy Director Mark Dingley. "All she can do is say, 'I can only hire you at $135,000'" — the current base pay for a director — "'and I will try to work with the legislature to get it higher,' and people won't come if there is no assurance."
Read more: www.providencejournal.com/news/20160220/raimondo-seeks-final-say-on-raises-for-ri-agency-directors
Governors before her have tried and failed — as she did last year — to convince the General Assembly to do away with this law. It requires public hearings (in March of each year) on the appropriate level of pay for each director when compared with salaries in other states and "in comparable positions anywhere which require similar skills, experience, or training." Lawmakers then have 30 days to reject the raises, or they become law.
Raimondo essentially wants the freedom to raise the directors' salaries as she sees fit, and then let the directors automatically receive the same across-the-board raises periodically given other non-union employees in state government.
As things stand, "you can't recruit the best people, because if the best person costs $145,000, the governor can't offer that person $145,000," said Department of Administration Deputy Director Mark Dingley. "All she can do is say, 'I can only hire you at $135,000'" — the current base pay for a director — "'and I will try to work with the legislature to get it higher,' and people won't come if there is no assurance."
Read more: www.providencejournal.com/news/20160220/raimondo-seeks-final-say-on-raises-for-ri-agency-directors