Posted on 03/05/2007 9:50:02 AM PST by NormsRevenge
SACRAMENTO — Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, once a critic of patronage in government, has rewarded 29 aides from his reelection campaign with state jobs, promotions and hefty raises.
Jeffrey Wyly left the state labor agency last spring to work for the governor's reelection. After Schwarzenegger won, Wyly returned to the agency with a promotion and a $20,304 raise.
At 26, Wyly is now paid $75,000 a year — a 37% bump — to help enact Schwarzenegger's labor agenda.
Administration staffers from the governor's first term who were employed by Californians for Schwarzenegger in 2006 today earn an average 27% more than they did in January 2006. That is 8 percentage points more than the average salary increase given to aides who were never employed by the campaign, state payroll records show.
Many campaign staffers hired into the administration for the first time are in their 20s and had no previous experience in government. Most are working in the governor's office, but a few hold senior agency jobs overseeing business regulation and the Motor Vehicles Department.
The annual salaries of these new and returning aides total $1.5 million. How much the former campaign staff permeates the administration is unclear; in six cases, the governor's office diverged from its usual practice of announcing all hires.
Schwarzenegger spokesman Aaron McLear said that all the new administration employees were "the best of the best" and that those who received raises deserved them because of the skills they honed.
"They went to the campaign, they got more experience and expertise and, on the other end of the campaign, they're more marketable and can command higher salaries," McLear said.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
ROTFL. Looks like the public trough is being used quite heartily by the Gropinator.
It's payback time. Schwarzenkennedy takes care of his own, while running the California taxpayer into financial oblivion...
Wow, in the case of a Republican governor, the LA Slimes discovers patronage! But apparently it never existed before (or now) re Democrats.
Due diligence delayed? maybe they'll get the dems next time, I reckun. lol
Heck, I wish I was 20 again. :-(
making $75K a year at 26.. Oh my..
He should just change his name to Kennedy and remove all hope.
Here's my impression of Cary Grant:
"Judy, Judy, Judy."
;-)
If Conservatives are happy with Arnold they'll be thrilled with President Rudy McRomney.
And this is new because? Oh I get it he's a REPUBLICAN. It's what republicans do. It's what democrats do, and the taxpayers get to foot the bill
When he ran for office, Arnold specifically said he was opposed to this sort of thing.
He's the most talented liar since Clinton.
He's an actor - they make a living successfully faking sincerity. (of course so do politicians)
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