Accessibility menu
State Representative Tony Cornish
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-4240
For more information contact: Jason Wenisch 651-296-2317
NEWS COLUMN
IT MAY BE TIME TO PLACE COMPENSATION CAPS ON CERTAIN PUBLIC OFFICIALS
What’s wrong with this picture?
Governor Tim Pawlenty, elected by Minnesota citizens to oversee the state, is paid a yearly salary of $114,506. The head of the Guthrie Theatre Foundation, which receives $419,000 in grants from Minnesota taxpayers, receives $383,640 in compensation. The head of the Walker Art Center, which receives $374,400 from taxpayers, receives $374,341. By my math, that leaves $59 to spend on programs.
These are just two examples of government waste; I could list a dozen more. It makes me sick to think this money is earmarked for improving the arts or culture in this state, then realize that many directors of these non-profit organizations are actually turning quite a profit for themselves.
That’s why I am seriously examining proposed legislation that would limit not only the pay, but also the severance packages for directors of non profit organizations and college and school officials.
State law mandates that certain city and county officials pay be capped at 95% of what the Governor makes. Locally however, cities and counties are skirting this law by increasing the compensation packages of these officials, making available huge vacation balances that they can cash out upon leaving. This amounted to a $64,000 severance package for one Blue Earth County official that left and went to St. Louis County.
Bureaucrats say that they need this extra package so that they don’t lose valuable employees to other states or the private sector. I say that is a joke. Commissioner vacancies in Minnesota are filled using this capped rate, and the state does quite well in recruiting the best and brightest.
The compensation for some heads of non-profit organizations, along with packages recently tailored for some high school superintendents are getting out of whack and need to be capped.
I plan to continue investigating these situations with other lawmakers and try to find a solution through legislation. Many of these organizations beg the state for more money, yet get away with paying their director three times the amount that is made by the chief executive in our state. In my opinion, demanding accountability for our local and state tax dollars is long overdue – and limiting certain compensation packages seems like a good place to start.
News Items
- REP. CORNISH ANNOUNCES REDISTRICTING PLAN - (Posted: 2012-02-23 00:00:00)
- REP. CORNISH INVESTIGATES LACK OF TRIBAL CASINO GAMBLING ENFORCEMENT - (Posted: 2012-02-02 00:00:00)
- REP. CORNISH AUTHORS FAMILIAL DNA PROPOSAL - (Posted: 2011-04-14 00:00:00)
- Archived News Items
- Subscribe to RSS News Feeds
- Read more about RSS.