Fung Opposes Chafee Administration Pay Hikes
Saturday, August 23, 2014
Republican candidate for Governor Allan Fung testified against the Chafee Administration’s plan to give pay increases to several highly paid state employees.
The proposed changes would increase the annual salaries for these employees by as much as 8.5%. These employees earn annual salaries in the range of $100,000.
Fung testified on Friday in opposition to the proposed pay increases at a classified service public hearing at the Rhode Island Department of Administration.
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"I am against these proposed pay increases for several reasons,” noted Fung. “Most importantly, it sends the wrong message to the hard working citizens of Rhode Island to see a select few government employees singled out for significant raises, when so many middle class Rhode Islanders continue to struggle economically. Substantial pay raises for a handful of high level employees, who already make significant annual salaries, send a message that the fix is in for the well connected and that is just wrong. The proposed changes are not supported by the comprehensive personnel study completed last year, as claimed by the Chafee Administration. That report calls for efforts to ‘ensure that all employees are properly classified and assigned to internally equitable pay.’ Rather than following the recommendations of their own report, the Administration is seeking to boost the salaries of several high paid administrators on their way out the door and that is unacceptable.”
“Now is simply not the time to be handing out significant raises to a select few state employees, while the State of Rhode Island continues to struggle with a fiscal crisis,” continued Fung. “With looming structural deficits, it is uncertain that state budgets will include sufficient funds for the pay raises that Governor Chafee has already negotiated with union workers. The proposed increases would only add to the fiscal burden and our state cannot afford to be handing out additional raises without the funds to ensure that we can meet all of these obligations. Decisions such as this should be made in the context of the budget process to ensure that funds are available. This appears to be a special deal being made in the waning days of an administration and creates the appearance of favoritism. This process should be halted to permit the next Governor to reform the state personnel system. I have made real reforms in the City of Cranston and as Governor, I will reject these special deals and put the interests of hard working Rhode Islanders first.”
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