Schwarzenegger's Staff Better Paid

[mrbowler]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,124204,00.html

LOS ANGELES — Even as he calls for shared sacrifice to solve the state's financial crisis, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (search) is spending more than his predecessor on salaries for his official staff, an Associated Press investigation found.

Schwarzenegger has slightly fewer employees than Gov. Gray Davis (search) did toward the end of his term, but is spending nearly 8 percent more on salaries. He is also paying more six-figure incomes within his inner circle than Davis did.

"For a governor who came to office saying he would cut the government, he seems to have really pumped it up, at least salaries for his inner circle," said Jamie Court, a consumer activist with the Santa Monica-based Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights (search). "It doesn't show much respect for taxpayers."

The AP obtained the governor's office payroll records through a California Public Records Act request to the state Controller's Office.

Schwarzenegger's office points out that his staff is smaller than Davis' and that the Hollywood multimillionaire has refused to accept the governor's $175,000 salary for himself, instead returning it to the budget.

"The governor is proud of his staff and thinks they are part of what has turned this state around," spokeswoman Margita Thompson said.

[luvmetender]

He is going to get respect and devotion from his staff from paying them a decent salary. I think he is doing a great job!

[CagedTroll]

He deserved to get egged. I commend him for paying his people more, which they probably deserve. I also appreciate the way he got them to shoot Terminator-3 locally instead of in Canada..., though it would have been better if T-3 NOT been shot at all, with us instead shooting anyone involved in shepherding the project through development with a large-bore shotgun at close range..., NEVERTHELESS I'll give Herr Gropenfuhrer credit when it's due... He gets credit for raising state college tuition rates and killing family pets.