Ethics Commission Seeks More Employees
By Mick Hinton/Capitol Bureau, Tulsa World ~ The Ethics Commission, a small state agency that monitors political contributions during elections, asked the Legislature on Friday to nearly double its staff.
The commission's governing board approved a request for five more employees to be added to the current staff of seven.
The request comes on the heels of the staff getting a 30 percent pay increase, a move that riled several lawmakers when most other state employees are going without raises.
The commission is asking for an additional attorney, another auditor and investigator, an administrative assistant, training specialist and legal secretary.
Commissioners recently granted executive director Marilyn Hughes the pay increase. She now is paid $110,000 a year. Hughes, who has authority to grant pay increases to her employees, gave them the same raises.
Last session, the Legislature granted $150,000 in new funding for the agency, but failed to allocate more personnel.Hughes said this left the agency with little choice on how to spend the allocation. They are purchasing new computers for the employees.
However, Rep. Gus Blackwell, R-Goodwell, said the agency should have put that money into operations rather than raises, then possibly tapped that money next year, if the Legislature approves more personnel.
Some lawmakers said the agency's raises will make it more difficult for the Legislature to look favorably on giving more money to the ethics commission.
The commission's governing board approved a request for five more employees to be added to the current staff of seven.
The request comes on the heels of the staff getting a 30 percent pay increase, a move that riled several lawmakers when most other state employees are going without raises.
The commission is asking for an additional attorney, another auditor and investigator, an administrative assistant, training specialist and legal secretary.
Commissioners recently granted executive director Marilyn Hughes the pay increase. She now is paid $110,000 a year. Hughes, who has authority to grant pay increases to her employees, gave them the same raises.
Last session, the Legislature granted $150,000 in new funding for the agency, but failed to allocate more personnel.Hughes said this left the agency with little choice on how to spend the allocation. They are purchasing new computers for the employees.
However, Rep. Gus Blackwell, R-Goodwell, said the agency should have put that money into operations rather than raises, then possibly tapped that money next year, if the Legislature approves more personnel.
Some lawmakers said the agency's raises will make it more difficult for the Legislature to look favorably on giving more money to the ethics commission.
Labels: Ethics Commission, Marilyn Hughes
posted by Mike McCarville @ 1:14 AM
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