Projo Politics Blog

Steve Kass’ salary has been cut nearly in half.

The governor’s former director of communications –– who was recently “loaned” to the state Emergency Management Agency after being replaced in the State House –– will now earn $66,919 a year. His former salary was $126,541.

“After reviewing the scope of his responsibilities at EMA, Steve Kass offered to take a pay reduction,” Governor Carcieri’s spokesman, Jeff Neal, told Political Scene on Friday evening.

Kass became Emergency Management’s “communications coordinator” about a month ago as part of a number of high-profile staffing changes in the governor’s inner circle. The agency already had a part-time spokesperson.

Kass’ former salary was $50,000 more than Emergency Management’s former executive director and nearly three times as much as the previous spokesperson, Britton Bates, makes. Kass was the highest-paid employee in the agency.

The move came as Carcieri was seeking to cut the state’s payroll by 1,000 positions to stave off a massive budget deficit. And critics cited Kass’ lack of emergency management experience.

The governor did not order Kass to take less money, Neal stressed, “he volunteered.”

Carcieri named a new EMA director last week. J. David Smith will now be the highest-paid Emergency Management employee, earning $89,351 a year.

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

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