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Lawmakers question pay increases for Gibbons’ staff
Monday, March 16, 2009 | 1 p.m.
Sun Archives
Sun archives
Lawmakers are questioning why some members of the governor’s staff have received hefty pay increases, when their boss has proposed pay cuts for state workers and teachers.
One example lawmakers discussed was Gov. Jim Gibbons’ press secretary. The salary for the position rose from the $72,287 paid to Melissa Subbotin to $109,996, 18 months after Subbotin’s departure.
The salaries of these positions “were increased and increased significantly,” Sen. Bernice Mathews, chairwoman of the Senate Finance Committee, said Monday.
A list of the salary increases was introduced last week at an exhibit during the state Ethics Commission hearing for Bob Loux, the former director of the state Office of Nuclear Project who is accused of raising his salary and that of his staff beyond levels approved by the Legislature. The document showed:
— Jodi Stevens, the legislative assistant to the governor, went from $50,196 in January 2007 to $99,994 in April 2008.
— Nicholas Vander Poel, hired in January 2007 as executive assistant to the chief of staff at $40,152, got a 50 percent raise to $60,289 within six months. Poel now works for the Energy Office.
— After Subbotin left, earning $72,287, her successor, Ben Kieckhefer, was hired at a salary of $94,938 in March 2008. Kieckhefer was earning $103,753 when he left last year. His replacement, Daniel Burns, earns $109,996. Burns will have a pay reduction to $103,000.
State workers received a 2 percent cost of living raise in July 2007 and a 5 percent increase in July 2008. Gibbons’ proposed budget calls for state workers and teachers to receive a 6 percent pay cut.
State Budget Director Andrew Clinger told the committee that the governor’s budget will reduce Gibbons’ staff from 22.5 to 17.5 positions over the next two years. He also said that some positions that have seen their pay increased have taken on additional duties.
Senate Minority Leader Bill Raggio, R-Reno, reminded lawmakers that the Legislature grants the governor’s office flexibility in setting salaries.
“We don’t micro-manage the salaries in this office,” Raggio said.
Discussion: 13 comments so far…
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So he won't sign a bill that will increase taxes (even though he wrote that money into his own budget), but he'll double the salary of his "legislative assistant?"
Meanwhile, I'm sure there are other state workers who are have increased responsibilities due to hiring freezes... I wonder why Gibbons isn't running to double their salaries as well!
"We don't micro-manage the salaries in this office," Raggio said"....Someone needs to micro-manage their salaries along with Raggio's & Gibbons', not just their salary, but them personally.
How can there be an increase in anyone's salaries when the school budget is being cut. No wonder our schools are ranked so low, they do not care. Gibbons & Raggio need to resign from office.
Classic republican behavior--condemn the very behavior in which you behave. Thus, Gibbons expects teachers and public employees to take a pay-cut, yet raises the salaries of his own inner circle. It's just like Limbaugh or Gingrich yammering on about traditional family values while the each have several divorces. Or Limbaugh thundering about tougher drug laws while he doses himself with hillbilly heroine. Pathetic hypocrites that would be easily dismissed if their ideas weren't so dangerous to the public good.
"Classic republican behavior--condemn the very behavior in which you behave."
OK Frank, you know that is not unique to Republicans. How about the talk about zero tolerance for earmarks, but signing a bill with nearly 9000 of them. Your state just has a screwy Governor who happens to be a Republican. Politics has evolved to... Say what they want to hear, then after the election, do what you want to do. Both sides do it.
This should erode any support Gibbons has left. While asking state workers and teachers to take a pay cut, and crowing about how he will do the same, Gibbons has quietly given his inept staff big raises.
Ex-Sen. Joe Heck must be loving this: Gibbons is giving him more ammo to use to blow up Gibbons in the 2010 GOP primary.
Gibbons will be hammered by the media when he has to go out and face them on the campaign trail. Ipod telecasts are not a viable option when campaigning for re-election. Gibbons' spokesman Dan Burns (his third or fourth press secretary as the governor) can't do his campaigning for him. Gibbons' Wizard of Oz approach won't work during the campaign.
Refuses federal $$$ for the Unemployed of Nevada.
Pay cuts for hard-working middle-class state workers. Massive cuts to education.
HUUUUGE RAISES for more cronies.
AND THERE ARE STILL PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT THIS LUNATIC!?!?
Where are Nance and Future2012 to defend this move. So when a teachers responsibility increases so does their pay. What are the odds this guy leaves office in a straight jacket. Do us all a favor Gibbons and resign at midnight on a Friday, so there is just a footnote in the weekend edition.
These salaries are not that high. Nothing annoys liberals more than others success. If you don't like your pay, get more education, work harder, transition into a career that pays better, ect. Complaining about others pay isn't going to help your personal situation. Simply pathetic.
The Luv Guv is unsurprisingly, a hypocrite. How is this horrible governor able to get away with saying public workers are overpaid and that they can afford a 6% cut in salary, and then goes ahead and raises his staff's salaries 50-100%. Hopefully the Legislature will fix this problem or put the Luv Guv through an ethics hearing.
Where are Nance and Neiman, the resident right-wingers who can always be counted on to defend Republican behavior and attack Democrats? I wonder where they are.
Let me say this as a Democrat and a liberal: those in party power who did not try to recall this idiot because they thought they were better off having him around to attack should be ashamed of themselves.
LOL! Gibbons, the hypocrite! What a shock!
And Dan Burns, how's his travel budget looking since he moved to the Gube's office? He had a nice fat spin at wasting the taxpayers money when he was at DEM. Now he flies back and forth and back and forth from LV to CC for the Gube.
And there is the Gube. When do we get to know more about his travel and per diem budget? Let's get this crap all out into the open!
DS: Neither are teacher salaries that high. Yet I'll bet you're first in line to decry those and demand the pay cuts. How consistent.
Yeah people aren't jealous of Gibbons' press secretary's salary. I'm almost positive that he actually didn't give him a raise, the guy just got a ludicrous amount of overtime for all the spin he has to do for Gibbons. In any case, that's a 30% raise while all other state employees are being asked to trim down 6% of their wages. That is sheer hypocricy. Additionally the man knows we are in dire straights with the budget so he just gives up more money during a tight time.
This is the same idiot that wants to close the DMV on Saturdays.
This is the same idiot who wants teachers to take a 6% cut.
This is the same idiot who wants to reject stimulus money.
This is the same idiot who won't raise taxes, but will support a room tax hike but not sign it into the budget.
PLEASE people someone with free time please start getting signatures for his recall.