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Topics: GVT-COMP DC -- Source: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dc/2009/07/the_dc_republican_party_thinks.html

Need to Cut Budget? Try Officials' Salaries, GOP Says

DC GOVERNMENT PAY SCALES: http://dchr.dc.gov/dcop/cwp/view,a,1219,q,529980,dcopNav,%7C31656%7C.asp

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The D.C. Republican Party thinks the D.C. Council should look at their own paychecks before they follow through on their proposal to raise sales, gas and cigarette taxes.

The council tentatively agreed Wednesday night to raise the sales tax to 6 percent, the gas tax to 23.5 percent and the cigarette tax to $2.50-per pack. Council members insisted the tax increases were necessary because further spending reductions could not be made without harming critical city services, especially those aimed at the poor.

Paul Craney, the executive director of the DC GOP, isn't buying it. He suggests the Council start by taking at look at their salaries. Council members are paid $125,000 annually but Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray (D) makes $190,000.

"The District budget has increased 42 percent since 2004, our mayor and council chairman get paid more than all but one governor," Craney said. "Our council members are so deep in spending that they haven't seen daylight in years."

To illustrate his point, Craney and his colleagues at the GOP committee put together a chart comparing the mayor and council members' salaries to those that governor's receive. See the top 20 -- based on data Stateline.org has compiled -- after the jump.

Name of Governor State Salaries Population

Arnold Schwarzennegger California $206,500 36,756,666

Adrian Fenty DC Mayor $200,000 591,833

Vincent Gray DC Council Chairman $190,000 591,833

David Paterson New York $179,000 19,490,297

Jennifer Granholm Michigan $177,000 10,003,422

Jon Corzine New Jersey $175,000 8,682,661

Timothy M. Kaine Virginia $175,000 7,769,089

Edward G. Rendell Pennsylvania $164,396 12,448,279

Pat Quinn Illinois $155,600 12,901,563

Christine Gregoire Washington $150,995 6,549,224

Martin O'Malley Maryland $150,000 5,633,597

M. Jodi Rell Connecticut $150,000 3,501,252

Ted Strickland Ohio $144,830 11,485,910

Jim Douglas Vermont $143,957 621,270

Jim Gibbons Nevada $141,000 2,600,167

Deval Patrick Massachussetts $140,535 6,497,967

C. Brad Henry Oklahoma $140,000 3,642,361

Steve Beshear Kentucky $137,506 4,269,245

Jim Doyle Wisconsin $137,092 5,627,967

Sonny Perdue Georgia $135,281 9,685,744

Charle Christ Florida $132,932 18,328,340

Jack A. Markell Deleware $132,500 873,092

Beverly Perdue North Carolina $130,629 9,222,414

Chet Culver Iowa $130,000 3,002,555

Sean Parnell Alaska $125,000 686,293

DC Council Average Salary DC Councilmember $125,000 591,833

Haley Barbour Mississippi $122,160 2,938,618

Jay Nixon Missouri $122,087 5,911,605

Tim Pawlenty Minnesota $120,303 5,220,393

Donald Carcieri Rhode Island $117,817 1,050,788

By Tim Craig | July 30, 2009; 3:14 PM ET

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Comments

That is a DAMN SHAME!!!

THIS Mayor and Council leisurely increases taxes, gives themselves a raise, lays off government workers through non-performance related reductions in force and GIVES away tax bankrolled financial gifts to campaign donors in the form of one time (indefinite) no-bid grant awards. Yet share NO personal financial burden in all of these cutbacks, not even their parking spaces at the Wilson Building which they voted to keep as free to themselves while doubling the parking rate of FULL TIME District employees.

Yes, D.C. Councilmen are part-time positions with the salary of full time governors.

I can't wait till 2010. Payback is a "female dog".

Posted by: concernedaboutdc | July 30, 2009 6:47 PM | Report abuse

TO D.C. Councilmembers:

Gasoline prices are already high in the District and this is why I purchase my gasoline our in Maryland and shop at the Super WalMart in Severn, Maryland. You passed a ridculous law charging D.C. residents to pay 5 cents on a paper bag. This will discourage me from shopping in the District and I will continue to shop at the Giant in Silver Spring, Maryland. All of you are making over $100,000.00 and most lower and middle income residents are struggling to make ends meet. It's hard for a single or for two people to survive, therefore it's very difficult for a family to survive in the District of Columbia. I am putting all D.C. elected officials on notice up for re-election in 2010, you will not be getting a vote from me.

Ward 4 Resident/Voter/Taxpayer

Posted by: cancer1 | July 30, 2009 9:00 PM | Report abuse

Um, it might be more analytically honest to adjust for cost of living. You simply cannot compare the salary of someone in Michigan or Pennsylvania to that of someone in the District.

Posted by: dcgovtruth | July 30, 2009 10:17 PM | Report abuse

Plus Arnold doesn't take a salary.

Posted by: writerdan | July 30, 2009 11:54 PM | Report abuse

Um, it might be more analytically honest to adjust for cost of living. You simply cannot compare the salary of someone in Michigan or Pennsylvania to that of someone in the District.

Posted by: dcgovtruth | July 30, 2009 10:17 PM

-----------------------------------------

The point is very clear, as-is, the average salary of a FULL TIME professional in the District is somewhere around 65k. We are paying part time workers full time salaries.

If you were in Gulfport Mississippi and make $100,000.00, you would only have to make $159,797.04 in the District to reach parity. Again this is for FULL TIME professionals.

Posted by: concernedaboutdc | July 31, 2009 6:20 AM | Report abuse

The Mayor and DC council should be ashamed of themselves!!! I'm sure we can find someone willing to accept less pay and do a much better job!!!

Posted by: boo2 | July 31, 2009 8:54 AM | Report abuse

It should be pointed out that while Calif. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger technically is paid more, he hasn't actually ever been paid that amount. He has refused his salary every year he has been in office.

Somehow I dont See Fenty or Gray even doing a token gesture of temporarily reducing their pay.

Posted by: Tmoney02 | July 31, 2009 9:46 AM | Report abuse

If you were in Gulfport Mississippi and make $100,000.00, you would only have to make $159,797.04 in the District to reach parity. Again this is for FULL TIME professionals.

All use of caps-for-emphasis aside, "concernedaboutdc", what kind of house could you buy for $100k in Mississippi? And what kind of property of any kind can you get for $100k in DC?

I'm not saying that a $200,000 salary is necessarily good or fair, either, but if you reduced their salaries to $125k, you'd make $125k in savings. Exactly what budget hole is $125,000 going to fill?

I'd honestly like to see some more direct comparisons - how much is the Arlington County board of supervisors paid? Or whichever of the various Maryland state officials with similar responsibilities under their purview?

Posted by: jdhammond | July 31, 2009 11:02 AM | Report abuse

No one working part-time in this day and age deserves 125k!

Posted by: cherita_whiting@yahoo.com | July 31, 2009 11:16 AM | Report abuse

No one working part-time in this day and age deserves 125k!

Posted by: cherita_whiting@yahoo.com | July 31, 2009 11:16 AM

___________________________________

Exactly, that they did not reduce their own salaries while sending 15% of to District Government workforce to the unemployment lines as a result of non-performance related reductions should resonate loud and clear on election day.

They even voted to keep their parking spots free around the Wilson Building and doubled the cost to Full Time District Government personnel who make a fraction of what they take home (notice I didn't say 'earn').

Posted by: concernedaboutdc | July 31, 2009 2:57 PM | Report abuse

So well said. NO ONE working part-time deserves six figures. Wow ...

And, to be perfectly blunt, since the mayor is such a big fan of pay for performance, he should be paying the city to keep him on. For goodness sake, $200,000 goes a long way:

Fire hydrants not working at Eastern Market or on Chain Bridge Road, resulting in property destruction, even when accountability was promised for the incident at Eastern Market,

Millions are stolen through the tax office but means to recover the CITIZEN'S money are blocked, resulting in Linda Singer separating from the city's payroll,

Michelle Rhee makes more than all of them, yet scores aren't even over fifty percent for proficiency, so shouldn't she get a pay cut or leave?

Victor Reinoso makes a salary as deputy mayor for education, plagiarizes or allows another school system's plan to be stolen, yet keeps a job,

The former leader of EdBuild who had people working in DCPS prior to getting his position as a deputy mayor for economics makes money,

One of the mayor's friends gets a contract and then spends time driving him around in the city's vehicle,

I could go on and on, but this list drives home the point!! Pay for performance? Yeah, right!!

Posted by: southyrndiva | August 2, 2009 6:51 PM | Report abuse

Southyrndiva: Way to go!!! WAY TO GO!!!!

Posted by: candycane1 | August 3, 2009 2:28 PM | Report abuse

The comments to this entry are closed.

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http://dcrepublicanparty.blogspot.com/2009/07/state-governor-salaries-vs-dc-elected.html

State Governor Salaries vs. DC Elected Officials' Salaries

Comparison Graph of State Governor Salaries and DC Elected Officials' Salaries

Name of Governor

State

Salaries

Population

Arnold Schwarzennegger

California

206,500

36,756,666

Adrian Fenty

DC Mayor

200,000

591,833

Vincent Gray

DC Council Chairman

190,000

591,833

David Paterson

New York

179,000

19,490,297

Jennifer Granholm

Michigan

177,000

10,003,422

Jon Corzine

New Jersey

175,000

8,682,661

Timothy M. Kaine

Virginia

175,000

7,769,089

Edward G. Rendell

Pennsylvania

164,396

12,448,279

Pat Quinn

Illinois

155,600

12,901,563

Christine Gregoire

Washington

150,995

6,549,224

Martin O'Malley

Maryland

150,000

5,633,597

M. Jodi Rell

Connecticut

150,000

3,501,252

Ted Strickland

Ohio

144,830

11,485,910

Jim Douglas

Vermont

143,957

621,270

Jim Gibbons

Nevada

141,000

2,600,167

Deval Patrick

Massachussetts

140,535

6,497,967

C. Brad Henry

Oklahoma

140,000

3,642,361

Steve Beshear

Kentucky

137,506

4,269,245

Jim Doyle

Wisconsin

137,092

5,627,967

Sonny Perdue

Georgia

135,281

9,685,744

Charle Christ

Florida

132,932

18,328,340

Jack A. Markell

Deleware

132,500

873,092

Beverly Perdue

North Carolina

130,629

9,222,414

Chet Culver

Iowa

130,000

3,002,555

Sean Parnell

Alaska

125,000

686,293

DC Council Average Salary

DC Councilmember

125,000

591,833

Haley Barbour

Mississippi

122,160

2,938,618

Jay Nixon

Missouri

122,087

5,911,605

Tim Pawlenty

Minnesota

120,303

5,220,393

Donald Carcieri

Rhode Island

117,817

1,050,788

Rick Perry

Texas

115,345

24,326,974

Robert R. Riley

Alabama

112,895

4,661,900

Linda Lingle

Hawaii

112,000

1,288,198

William B. Richardson III

New Mexico

110,000

1,984,356

John Lynch

New Hampshire

108,990

1,315,809

Mark Sanford

South Carolina

106,078

4,479,800

Mark Parkinson

Kansas

105,889

2,802,134

V.L. "Butch" Otter

Idaho

105,560

1,523,816

M. Michael Rounds

South Dakota

105,544

804,194

Dave Heinman

Nebraska

105,000

1,783,432

Dave Freudenthal

Wyoming

105,000

532,668

John Huntsman Jr.

Utah

104,000

2,736,424

Brian Schweitzer

Montana

96,462

967,440

Mitch Daniels

Indiana

95,000

6,376,792

Bobby Jindal

Louisiana

95,000

4,410,796

Joe Manchin

West Virginia

95,000

1,812,035

Jan Brewer

Arizona

95,000

1,275,509

Ted Kulongski

Oregon

93,600

3,790,060

John Hoeven

North Dakota

92,483

641,481

August William "Bill" Ritter, Jr.

Colorado

90,000

4,939,456

Phil Bredesen

Tennessee

85,000

6,214,888

Mike Beebe

Arkansas

80,848

2,855,390

John Baldacci

Maine

70,000

1,316,456

2010-03-05