Governor Gibbons' Street Cred

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I read with some irritation that despite having asked all other state workers to swallow a 6% pay cut, the governor’s staff will merit net pay increases in our budget crisis. He makes two arguments for this.

The governor's staff has taken on additional responsibility with the elimination of seven positions
My department has been working below minimal staffing almost since I started working here, and I was hired just before a hiring freeze. Our university has 10% higher enrollment over two years ago, so we’re already doing more with less. My boss has made the Chair and Dean aware of my cost-cutting measures and stood up to faculty who insisted on cost-prohibitive measures in the classroom.

He has not exceeded his office’s budget for wages
I suppose that makes sense, not. We're supposed to present to the governor proposed cuts up to 45% depending on the budget cut, and he's allowed to spend up to the limit for his office's budget. We're not allowed to hire new people, get merit/longevity bonuses, or hire up to full staffing, but he can give someone a pay raise that is half my annual salary. In my department, when I manage to buy $5000 worth of goods for $3000, someone else just spends the $2000 I saved on something else. I guess that's what this really boils down to in his mind- reallocation of assets.

I disagree with the governor's justification. Good leadership and staunch conservativism on which he campaigned (I felt it was a ruse, but what do I know?) depend on clear principles. His taking an inconsistent stance in pay leaves him with zero street credability. Those of us who defended his cuts to education and in other areas, basically across the board, did not support that so that he could reallocate resources into his office. A secretary in his office is getting a $20K pay raise next year, a secretary for crying out loud!

You don't ask people to cut expenditures and then use those funds to bankroll your own pet projects. The governor showed that he's just a demagogue like most politicians, telling us what we want to hear while using largess to purchase votes and loyalty.

Enjoy your single term as governor sir. You shall never have my vote again.