Minority Leader Richard Tisei: The meeting of the Republican Caucus will come to order. On today's agenda, discussion of whether or not to accept the automatic 5.5% raise in salary. In my opinion, we should reject the raises. I'll turn the floor over to the assistant minority leader for his view. Senator Tarr?
Assistant Minority Leader Bruce Tarr: I agree, we should reject them.
Tisei: Thanks Bruce. Let's see what the third minority leader has to say, Senator Knapik?
Third Minority Leader Michael Knapik: Ditto, Senator.
Tisei: Excellent. Senator Hedlund, the leadership has decided that we should oppose the raise, can you whip up the votes we need? I'd like to make this unanimous if we can.
Minority Whip Bob Hedlund: Sure thing Mr. Leader. Senator Brown, you work on whipping up senators whose names begin with B or K. I'll work on the H's and the T's.
Assistant Minority Whip Scott Brown: Will do, Bob. Senator Knapik, will you stand with us in opposition to the raises.
Knapik: Of course, Senator Brown. You're a very persuasive assistant whip. I was wavering there for a moment.
Hedlund: Senator Tarr, are you with us or against us?
Tarr: You drive a tough bargain, Bob, but I will stand with the caucus.
Hedlund: Thanks Senator Tarr. Mr. Tisei, your vote is very important to the caucus. Will you join us in opposing the pay raises?
Tisei: I'll be happy to stand with you, Senator Hedlund.
Hedlund: OK. Senator Brown, Including my vote, I've been able to get three votes in support of our position, how did you do?
Brown: I got two, including mine.
Hedlund: Great work, Senator! By my calculations, the entire caucus will be on our side! Let's report back to the leadership…Third Minority Leader Knapik, I am proud to announce that by our count, the entire Republican Caucus supports the leadership in its opposition to the pay raises. Please pass on the good news.
Knapik: You continue to impress me, Senator Hedlund…Assistant Leader Tarr, I've been informed by our whips that we have unanimous support for leadership's position.
Tarr: Fantastic news, Senator. I continue to be amazed at how well this year's caucus has been able to stick together. I'll let the Minority Leader know right away…Mr. Leader, by the count of the whips and the report of the third majority leader, it looks like we have unanimous support. We will all be rejecting the automatic raises.
Tisei: Thank you all for your support. I'm proud that every member of the Republican Caucus has decided to stand with me on the side of fiscal responsibility. The commonwealth cannot afford to be paying its legislators an extra $3,000 in this time of economic difficulty. And I want to give a special note of thanks to my five-man leadership team. Without your work in keeping the caucus together, this vote would never have been possible. If there is anyone who deserves to receive a $15,000 leadership stipend, it's the four of you. Congratulations on a job well done.
[crosstalk and lots of patting each other on the back]
Tisei: Now, if there is no further business, I will entertain a motion to adjourn. Rush will be on in a couple of minutes and I'm sure you all want to get back to your offices so you won't miss any of his show.
(cross posted at No Drumlins)
Thanks for a good chuckle.
A 5% raise? Now? Sort of sucks, no?
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p>It is, of course, a function of there being so many more House members than Senate members – when committees, and the chairmanships and vice chairmanships, are created the stipends are parcelled out among 160 Reps., while Senators get 4 positions for each one available to Representatives. Perhaps we should eliminate Senate stipends as well, as there are too few Senators to make that system viable. Heaven forefend that we restrain ourselves from creating new committeees, like the Global Warming Committee – I look forward to seeing how the Committee will legislate the seas from rising, myself.
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p>Now – can we see the transcript of the Senate Democrats conferring? Is it 36 voices babbling at once like the McLaughlin Group, or somnolent silence while awaiting the pronouncement of Madame President?
That’s just incredible.
So Republicans should get rewarded for taking care of the Republican Party, but Democrats shouldn’t get rewarded for taking care of the business of governing the commonwealth?
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p>Huh.
So Democrats should get rewarded for taking care of the Democratic Party, but Republicans shouldn’t get rewarded for taking care of the business of governing the commonwealth?
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p>Sab – the diarist posted the entire story EXCEPT the last line noting that all the Democrats get stipends too. Misleading at best, probably hypocritical.
I know you’re seeking for equivalence, but here’s the deal…
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p>Committee chairs are paid to govern the Commonwealth, to deal with issues that will be of concern to all in the state.
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p>Party officers are paid to take care of the party, to deal with GOP/Dem electoral fortunes.
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p>There is a strong difference between managing a party’s political profile and managing a legislative committee. Frankly, I’d like to see the party stipends killed for both Republicans and Democrats…public money shouldn’t be funding such nakedly political operations.
He said that the best thing was to revisit the entire system. The diarist merely chopped off the final sentences in the story while ‘quoting’.
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p>And as far as the party issues goes, I merely replicated your own statement, swapping Democrat and republican.
You do advocate the end of stipends for political party work, but not for committee work?
of our elected officials than our employers take care of us.
A cost of living raise for the working class? I haven’t seen one in 10 years. They are based on merit only, for which you must be able to achieve the equivalent of a triple Axel or a double backward somersault.
I really want to give a huge shout-out to Senator Stephen Brewer. We couldn’t ask for a better senator. He attends town activities, meets and greets with his constituency regularly. He answers inquiries promptly and thoroughly. He is truly in touch with his people and I am grateful for this one elected official that I know is looking out for us and our best interests. Thank You Senator Brewer! If anyone deserves a raise and a stipend, it’s you!
I have spoken with Senator Brewer about a couple of items and have spoken with his staff and I agree that there isn’t a more personable, responsive senator around.
I hereby cede this week’s “Weekly Joke Revue” title to you, and the hardworking Senate Republican leadership.
One question, though — if all the Senate Republicans have Very Important Things To Do, who takes the transcript? Brad Jones?
Why can’t the state legislature?
Does Associate Dean Derek Lovely really have to make $613K?
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p>I mean, I like paying people for thier hard work but this seems a little ecessessive. Didn’t the UMASS system just raise student tuition (great timing for students while we are in a recession)? No wonder they need to raise tiotion, look at these salaries…
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p>Department Last Name First Name Description 2008 Earnings
UMASS Lovley Derek R Associate Dean NRE $613,065.44
UMASS Collins Michael F Chancellor & SVP Hlth Sciences $609,470.13
UMASS Flotte Terence R Exec Dep Chanc Provost & Dean $549,254.84
UMASS Manning Thomas D Deputy Chancellor $522,085.15
UMASS Ambrosino Donna Exec Dir,Mass Biologics $508,510.86
UMASS Pagnam Charles J VC,Development $476,013.49
UMASS Aghababian Richard V Associate Vice Chancellor $458,947.61
UMASS Wilson Jack M President of Univ of MA $436,261.48
UMASS Irwin Richard Stephen Professor $431,024.45
UMASS Habib Farajallah Assoc Professor $425,743.96
UMASS Woda Bruce A Professor $422,874.33
UMASS Jehle Frank Asst Professor $409,480.05
UMASS Murphy Joyce A Vice Deputy Chancellor CWM-COO $401,710.45
UMASS Rock Kenneth L Chairman of Department $378,396.68
UMASS Lazare Aaron Dean Emeritus $371,553.12
UMASS Okike Nsidinanya Professor $367,368.76
UMASS Phillips David A Assoc Professor $362,085.73
UMASS Balikian Jerry P Professor $360,756.73
UMASS Ockene Ira S Professor $342,180.27
UMASS Nakosteen Robert A. Professor $335,885.94
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p>Think of the pensions these people will get and there are thousands of other state workers making lots of money and great benefits. Now I can understand why the Gov can’t cut anymore waste or excesses, what a joke!
Like Derek Lovley for example, you don’t think he brings in some serious money into the university? Check the PBS video with the mention of the 22 million dollar grant for starters. What does a person like him bring to the university? Please, just cutting a pasting this is worthless. You need something substantive, not this.
Considering the constant tuition increases and the fact that each of these salaries represents the equivalent of the yearly tuition for ten or more students, or salaries for ten or more entry-level/$30,000 a year employees. Should the full burden of proof be on JohnD? I’m not sure.
…between UMASS administrators/professors and other state employees, the comparison should be made between the UMASS administrators/professors and equivalent positions at large Universities and state university systems across the country.
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p>I’m personally skeptical of there being a good reason for Michael Collins to earn over $600K. However, I’m not going to sit here and say that everyone’s salary on this list is “outrageous” because I don’t know a.) what these people contributed to the University system and b.) what others in similar positions with similar accomplishments earn at UVM, Michigan, UConn, UNC, SUNY, etc. It costs money to retain talent.
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p>Not everyone on those lists may be worth the high salary – let’s make sure there is accountability – but let’s not handcuff UMASS with arbitrary salary caps that cause top people to leave and avoid coming to Massachusetts to perform research, run and innovate at UMASS’s academic departments, and teach our students.
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p>It’d be nice if JohnD provided more context rather than basing his entire, uninformed valuation of these people on only the opportunity for him to display his “outrage” at “ecessessive” salaries. For JohnD, it’s not about adding value to the dialogue, it’s about exploiting any fact or figure to take easy shots at “government (i.e. Democrat/liberal) waste” and stoke outrage, regardless of how dishonest or lazy his position is.
How many times have you read about the 400X CEO vs worker ratios? Are they valid comparisons? Aren’t some numbers open to criticism on an absolute basis? Can we be perfectly happy with Manny getting $45 Million for 2 years since compared to other star players it’s ok instead of commenting that their salaries are too high?
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p>I am not against people making good money, as a matter of fact I like it. But I think these UMASS salaries are excessive and I don’t think it would be hard to find high quality replacements for these people making a fraction of what they make. Did you read the diary about Hospital CEOs salaries?
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p>How do you know what I want? Taking a guess? Why do you insinuate I have “partisanized” this critique of high salaries since I have no idea whether any of these 6 figure salary people are Dems/Repubs or liberal or conservative? Why can’t waste simply be waste with no party affiliation (like the $410 Billion Omnibus spending spree bill)? There have been plenty of broad stroke demonizing of people lately. Take the Wall St Executives who are being hounded… within any organization there are people who have varied and sometimes compartmentalized responsibilities. And often times these large companies enjoy great successes in some of those compartments while the entire organization is doing poorly. I have had “banner” years of performance at companies while the company itself did very poorly (example – selling lots of printers at HP while the laptop business may be in the toilet). During those times I made great bonuses and commissions which was totally appropriate, even though others areas of the company were getting laid off. The same is happening in financial companies today with some departments or areas doing very well while the corporation as a whole is sucking wind. But I’m sure the executives running those successful departments or selling those good products are being demonized like the executives who ruined the entire company. If you want to call me and “all the people” who broadly are criticizing Wall St. executives for getting bonuses… “dishonest or lazy” then you have the right. But I think the real culprit is you just don’t like anything I say especially of it’s about anything you like.