(Schwarzenegger) could double aides' pay (hidden in bill)

[Newsjock]

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/09/08/BAGABL1R831.DTL

Without the knowledge of most state lawmakers, a last-minute bill amendment that allows Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to approximately double the salaries of his top appointees was slipped into a legislation ratifying a new contract with California Highway Patrol officers.

The bill, which passed overwhelmingly in both houses of the Legislature, contains two short paragraphs allowing the Department of Personnel Administration to boost the pay of Schwarzenegger's Cabinet secretaries, department directors and commissioners to as much as 125 percent of the governor's salary, which climbs to $206,500 in December.

If the administration adopts the maximum increases, for example, the salaries of department heads would more than double from $123,255 to $258,125. A Schwarzenegger spokeswoman said the administration plans to increase salaries for only one or two of the 54 appointees this fiscal year.

"The frenetic pace during the last days of the session provides the perfect cover for this kind of bill. The administration and the Legislature know that paying bureaucrats $250,000 a year is not going to fly well with the public, so they bury it in a seemingly innocuous piece of legislation," said Ned Wigglesworth, spokesman of California Common Cause in Sacramento.

[warrens]

1. A quarter of a million for a political hack?

This is going to go over well in Cali.

[rocktivity]

2. Way to get re-elected, Arnie.

And I hope Mr. Angeldies is taking notes!

:rofl:
rocknation