Pay raises doled out at Assembly despite tough economy
7:02 AM Mon, May 11, 2009 | Permalink
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By Katherine Gregg PROVIDENCE - Despite the state's deepening budget hole, General Assembly leaders have been doling out raises to select employees, including the son of a current legislator and the brother of a former legislator. The most recent beneficiaries include 13 employees in the legislative office -- which audits the spending of other state agencies -- who got raises ranging from 1.8 percent to 8.5 percent on April 12. Employees in other wings of the legislature got even more generous raises. On Jan. 18, for example, Senate leaders elevated Patrick Butler from a "constituent liaison'' to "deputy director of constituent services,'' with a $12,236 raise that hiked his pay to $63,872. Kristen Silvia went from a $71,504 a year "legislative coordinator'' to a $93,822 "deputy chief of staff/legislation.'' With his new assignment as chief legal counsel to the Senate president, veteran Senate lawyer Edward Fogarty got a $6,250 raise that boosted his salary to $135,125. Others were given the same automatic salary hikes that go to every state employee at certain benchmarks in the state employment: a 5-percent increase after 5 years, 10 percent after 11 years, 15 percent after 15 years, 17 ½ percent after 20 years and 20 percent after 25 years. Other raises were based solely on performance or a need "to make some salaries consistent with others performing similar responsibilities,'' according to House spokesman Larry Berman. Berman acknowledged that House Speaker William J. Murphy, D-West Warwick, had to sign off on every raise as the chairman of the Joint Committee on Legislative Services. They include: legislative aide Paul Church who got a 9.5-percent raise last September that hiked his pay to $42,285; Lisa Cloutier, who got a 41-percent raise in February that boosted her pay as a part-time legal counsel to $36,110; legislative aide Kyle Fellela, a 20-percent raise to $27,917; secretary Susan Nolin, a 13-percent raise to $42,283 in January; Victor Parrillo Jr., a 14.8-percent raise to $33,276; part-time lawyer David Spinella whose pay nearly doubled from $14,623 to $27,420; administrative assistant, Alyssa Rae Tillier, a 10-percent raise to $36,101, and part-time lawyer Brian Van Couyghen, a 4.8-percent raise to $38,131 in March. Fellela is the son of incumbent Rep. Deborah Fellela, D-Johnston, and Church is the brother of a former Rep. Raymond Church. The information came to light in response to an April 23 Providence Journal information-request sparked by this report in the Sacramento Bee that same day: "Pay hikes granted to more than 120 Assembly employees were rescinded Wednesday amid an uproar that threatened to affect balloting in next month's election.'' With voters in California being asked to approve a series of measures "to help ease the state's fiscal mess,'' California Assembly Speaker Karen Bass, D-Los Angeles, said: "In hindsight, this was really becoming a distraction.'' The Journal asked how many people were receiving paychecks from the Rhode Island legislature, and how many of them had received raises during the 22-month stretch since most other state workers got their last across-the-board raise on June 24, 2007. The answer: 109 employees got salary increases since Jan. 1, 2008. "To offset this,'' Berman said, "the Assembly has been fiscally prudent by not filling 15 full-time positions that it has been authorized in the budget this year, and it has six fewer full-time equivalent positions on the payroll than last year at this time.'' However, the head of the legislative business office, Marisa White, refused to disclose how many people are on the legislative payroll. Berman said she won't release the information because she does not believe the law requires her to do so, and prefers to provide the number of "full-time equivalents,'' which by her count totals 312. The tally includes 241 full-time and 71 part-time employees, but does not include any of the "pages, doorkeepers, and seasonal committee clerks and attorneys who are paid on a daily rate or monthly rate.'' According to the state controller's office, there were, in actuality, 560 people receiving paychecks from the legislature in the last pay period, including the 113 lawmakers. 
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heck to the NO.....we are in a recession and NOBODY especially in legislation, any form of gvt; or financial instituions should be getting a raise...my thought, they should be lucky they haven't been burned in effigy (spelling)
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heck to the NO.....we are in a recession and NOBODY especially in legislation, any form of gvt; or financial instituions should be getting a raise...my thought, they should be lucky they haven't been burned in effigy (spelling)
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Now really, is ANYONE honestly surprised that the ethically challenged State House crew is giving out raises to favored individuals who work for them? I would be shocked if they weren't, wouldn't you? That would be leading by example.
It's so comforting to know that in an ever changing world, there are still some things you can rely upon; such as our tone deaf elected leaders taking care of former elected hacks, siblings and the like while at the same time cutting aid to cities/towns, hospital reimbursement, etc.
Let's see if any of these appalling actions resonate in next years elections. I'm not holding my breath.
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i've 2 people in my family that don't have jobs and can't find work. instead of giving them raises so they can live hihg off the hog. why don't you think of the liitle guy; they deserve it more than these legislators that don't do anything. CARCIERI start thinking of the little guys never mind all your cronies.
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This is rediculous!! Instead of raises they should be expecting cuts. What part of in the hole millions of dollars don't they understand. How about they grow a pair, stop being greedy and turn down the raises? Wait that would be too much...
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This is rediculous!! Instead of raises they should be expecting cuts. What part of in the hole millions of dollars don't they understand. How about they grow a pair, stop being greedy and turn down the raises? Wait that would be too much...
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I'll never understand why people keep voting for these Democrats. Oh wait...I forgot, they truly care about the "little" guy. So..let's see...keep voting for them, then elect another Republican Governor to blame for all the problems that the Dems created. Yeah that works. So many people are fooled in this State every election. If you want REAL change, get rid of all our current “leaders” and give the Republicans a chance. If things don’t get better, then you can have your misery refunded by re-electing the good ole’ Democrats that have caused most of our budget problems. What have you got to lose?
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Nannie's comment say's it all: The general assembly operates in complete stealth.
RI voters are completely ignorant, and continue to blame the governor for the raping and pillaging being performed BY the GA.
We need to take baby steps in correcting the issues with this state - first let's explain that state government is a bit more complicated than the governor, your brother in law, and your cousin Vinny, to that end here is the first installment:
The State of Rhode Island General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. A bicameral body, it is composed of the lower Rhode Island House of Representatives with 75 Representatives, and the upper Rhode Island Senate with 38 Senators. Members are elected in the general election immediately preceding the beginning of the term or in special elections called to fill vacancies. There are NO TERM LIMITS for either chamber.
The General Assembly meets at the Rhode Island State House in Providence.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhode_Island_General_Assembly
Next installment will explain that the earth is no longer flat...
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How much are these folks making in their other jobs? A few of the larger salaried ones are full t ime with no other income, I ass u me.
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Maybe contributor John Nrix has the right idea.
The voters of RI seriously need to learn state government 101.
Hopefully, if they obtain a better understanding of the legislature, they will recognize how we taxpayers/residents/voters have been short changed.
Only, and I repeat ONLY, when the voters awake from their slumber and vote in some new faces representing other political parties will we have a chance to experience responsive government.
I'm all for giving the moderate party an opportunity. Any thing has got to better than what we have, stagnant, self serving government.
I'm looking forward to the next installment as school resumes!
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Why shouldn't the General Assembly leadership do exactly as they please? They're guaranteed re-election by the morons and blithering idiots that make up a majority of the Rhode Island electorate. In a Democracy/Republic you get the government that you deserve. Rhode Island deserves these thieving, lying, and grossly incompetent hacks that populate the General Assembly. There's no other answer.
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Speaker of the House Murphy is one of the biggest scum losers ever voted into office in this state. Can't you freakin losers in West Warwick vote this loser scum bag jerk out of office please. I'm sick of suffering because you clowns in West Warwick don't have the guts to rid yourselves of this low life loser.
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Business as usual, can't stay within budgets assigned, can't make cuts as requested, what the heck lets just change some titles and give this "Good Ole Boys & Girls" a raise, then we can just raise taxes again.... Wonder why no one is moving into the state look at the tax rates, the crocked pols, back slapping, glad handing fools who don't even attempt to help the people who vote them into office, just pass out rewards to family and friends....
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Firefighters and police officers are being laid off, but these freeloaders are getting RAISES?
THROW THE BUMS OUT! Yes, that means YOUR guy too!
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Goverment workers are all ready paid to much, and they get raises in a time of need. Is this a digusting joke, these free loaders barely do anything. SO SO SICK.
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Perhaps someday Rhode Island will be led by fair, honest people with high ethical standards. But that day is not yet here. Today we are led by a General Assembly that cares only for itself and the unions it serves. This is a fabulous system if you're a union employee, but if you're a taxpayer - it stinks.....
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A constituent Liason??? 73K?
So the state pays MD's 120K, Enigineers 45K, Plumbers 24K...and a "constituent liason" is so specialized that the job is worth 72K?
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I WILL NEVER VOTE FOR ANYONE IN OFFICE AGAIN...
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BERMAN REFUSES TO DISCLOSE HOW MANY WE'RE PAYING!!?? THEY WORK FOR US! She should be hog tied and thrown down every one of the back steps of the state house. This is OUR MONEY! Shame on the Journal for not making this Front Page news! OUTRAGEOUS!
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