PROVIDENCE – Senate Minority Leader Jessica de la Cruz is questioning Gov. Dan McKee’s proposal to raise the base salaries of 11 of his 13 cabinet members, pointing to Rhode Island’s projected $250 million deficit.
The proposal is set for a public hearing on Wednesday, March 26 with the Department of Administration starting at 11 a.m., and could go into effect 30 days after approval, unless the raises are rejected by a Joint Resolution of the House and Senate.
In a release on Tuesday, de la Cruz, a Republican representing District 23 in North Smithfield, Burrillville and Glocester, noted that such raises were approved in each of the past three years.
“The governor cites regional competitiveness as a driver of proposed raises, so should we not also compare Rhode Island’s budget, population, land mass, and government effectiveness to those other states?” she asked. “Our $14 billion state budget makes our per capita spending 35 percent higher than neighboring states, while our business climate, bridges and infrastructure are ranked among the worst in the nation.”
“Clearly, we are not getting the most effective use of our tax dollars under this administration,” de la Cruz said. “It long past time to establish an independent Office of Inspector General, as our neighboring states have already done, to increase accountability and affordability before rewarding highly paid political appointees.”
The senator noted that in a recent radio interview, McKee said the raises were warranted due to uncertainty coming from Washington, DC since January 20.
“This is a ridiculous assertion,” said de la Cruz. “Our state’s difficulties are not the result of anything happening since January 20th, but rather the culmination of years of bad policy coupled with unchecked state government spending.”
“As average hard-working Rhode Islanders face staggering energy prices and historic highs for housing costs, the governor’s proposal is tone deaf and irresponsible,” she said. “If this proposal passes, I will support a formal Joint Resolution with my colleagues to reject the proposed pay raise package.”
Cap the raises at 3%.
A pay raise for Politicians is really a bribe….do as I say or I’ll fire you…
They get yearly raises and most of us out here working hard DO NOT!!!!
The legislators should begin immediate impeachment proceedings against Dan McKee for being fiscally irresponsible. Second can you believe Dan is proposing a raise for the most incompetent and inexperienced department head Peter Alviti. Time for Dan to step down as governor. I don’t think Dan has any financial clue where state funds are derived.
Under Article XI of the RI Constitution being fiscally irresponsible is not grounds for impeachment. Besides most, if not all, of the budgets adopted by the RI General Assembly while Dan McKee has been governor were passed with margins more than enough to override a governors veto.