Guinn giving top aides hefty pay increases

Friday, July 2, 1999 | 10:40 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Gov. Kenny Guinn has reorganized his staff to give senior aides some new titles and hefty pay raises.

And he said he will still save $25,000 in his salary budget because some office positions will be left vacant.

Guinn, who earns $117,000 a year, has set the salary for Chief of Staff Peter Ernaut at $100,000, up from $91,670. Scott Scherer, legal counsel to Guinn, will make $90,000 compared to the former $77,250.

Senior Policy Advisor Denice Miller will go from $62,910 to $78,000 and Deputy Chief of Staff Victoria Soberinsky will also earn $78,000, up from $58,784.

Under the reorganization, Miller will head the public policy section, and Soberinsky will be in charge of constituent services.

Press Secretary Jack Finn's salary is set at $65,000, up from $52,769.

Guinn said the bill approved by the Legislature allowed him "to make this office more efficient and create a salary structure that is fair and fiscally responsible."

In the past, the Legislature set each salary of the executive staff in the law. Under the change, Guinn will be able to adjust the pay as long as he stays within his overall salary budget of $1.391 million.

The Legislature did not raise the pay of other state employees but included a 2 percent cost of living increase effective in July 2000. The governor's staff will qualify for that raise.