Projo Politics Blog

It was the day before Christmas and all through the Department of Administration’s Conference Room B, not a creature was stirring except for state Personnel Administrator Anthony Bucci.

Bad poetry aside, Bucci was indeed the only one to show up at the administration’s public hearing Monday morning on the creation of two high-paid positions for Governor Carcieri’s Department of Revenue. It was a short and lonely hearing on a day that state government was operating with a skeleton staff at best.

“It’s important to note that all comments will be recorded,” Bucci began reading from a script after pressing the record button on his tape recorder. “If you wish to make a comment … I ask that you please step up to the microphone at the head of the room.”

There was no microphone at the head of the room. And even if there was, there was no one in the room to step up to it (except for a Political Scene reporter).

Bucci continued, explaining the titles and pay grades for the two unclassified positions to be created.

The first is the $130,000-a-year director of the Department of Revenue, a post to be filled Jan. 14 with Gary Sasse, former executive director of the Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council.

“Are there any comments on agenda item 1?” Bucci asked the empty room, before moving to the second position.

The chief of revenue analysis, a job yet to be officially filled, will earn between $93,480 and $105,881 a year. Both jobs require a master’s degree in accounting, economics, or a closely related field. Sasse will serve at the pleasure of the governor, although his position requires Senate confirmation. The chief of revenue analysis will serve for five years, requiring no legislative approval.

“I now declare this hearing closed,” Bucci continued. “Thank you for taking the time to attend.”

A sheepish Bucci later explained he had to go through the script despite the empty room.

“I have to. It’s the law,” he told Political Scene.

--By Steve Peoples, Cynthia Needham, Katherine Gregg and Scott MacKay
Journal staff writers

Comments

janet said:

Taking down the Christmas tree before Christmas? What kind of craziness is this?

Link | January 1, 2008 5:58 AM
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joeye4 said:

You missed the point. Having a hearing on Monday was a disgrace. This must be part of the savings plan the governor and his band of theives have dreamed up. Get more high paid friends into government and lay off janitors.

Link | January 1, 2008 10:10 AM
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kevin said:

You find ONE guy doing his job the day before Christmas and embarrass HIM? The point of the story should be the administration sneaking about while 'no one is looking' and appointing more of their own cronies to high-paying jobs while casting the 'everyday man' that works for them under the bus.

Good thing the governor and his programs are "saving" us so much money. Otherwise we'd probably be a billion (or two!!) in debt by now. What a disingenuous, self-serving politician.....

Link | January 3, 2008 6:48 AM
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