State Officials Refuse to Give Up Pay Raises
Tuesday, November 09, 2010
Four of the five state elected officials who are due for pay raises next January have told GoLocalProv they will be accepting the money.
Top state officers will be receiving a 9.67 percent raise next January, according to the Governor's office. That will bump up the salary for the Governor-elect Lincoln Chafee from $117,817 to $129,210 and for Attorney General-elect Peter Kilmartin from $105,416 to $115,610. The other general officers—Lieutenant Governor Elizabeth Roberts, Secretary of State Ralph Mollis, and General Treasurer-elect Gina Raimondo—will all see their pay for their positions go up from $99,214 to $108,808.
Tea Party calls on officials to send ‘a strong message’
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTThe Rhode Island Tea Party yesterday called on all of them to turn down their raises.
“Rhode Island's fiscal situation is precipitous, our unemployment rate is amongst the highest in the country, and many people have foregone raises in order to hang onto their jobs,” said Colleen Conley, head of the state Tea Party. “While our statewide office holders are legally entitled to an increase in salaries, this small concession would send a strong message to all Rhode Islanders that indeed our elected officials understand the plight of the average taxpayer and are serious about beginning to tackle the state's dire economic condition.”
‘A matter of law, no politics’
But at least four of the general officers have no plans to do so, according to their spokespersons, who noted that the raises are mandated by state law. “The salary increase is mandated by statute. Therefore, this is a matter of law—not politics. Attorney General-elect Peter Kilmartin will abide by the law,” said spokesman Brett Broesder.
“State law limits general officers who serve two terms to one raise over the eight-year span,” said Chris Barnett, a spokesman for Mollis. “This will be the only increase from his first day in office in 2007 to the day he leaves office in 2015. He will continue to take part in the state’s deficit-reduction plan through furlough days along with all his colleagues in state government.”
Maria Tocco, a spokeswoman for Roberts, said the Lieutenant Governor will also be participating in the furlough program. She said Roberts had no control over the raises.
A spokesman for Governor-elect Lincoln Chafee, did not respond to a request for comment.
