Salaries: Patronage positions unscathed Cutbacks bypass cadre of state bureaucrats with 6-figure pay [Waterbury Republican-American]

Gov. Malloy has called for “shared sacrifice”, so why has he increased the number of highly-paid, appointed bureaucrats in his administration? Read this:

By Paul Hughes
Waterbury Republican-American
Story as it appeared in the Waterbury Republican-American on May 31, 2011

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has not slashed the ranks of politically appointed deputy commissioners since coming to power in January.

These prized appointments come with six-figure salaries, excellent benefits and the promise of an attractive state pension. They remain a source of political patronage for governors — and an occasional target for cost-cutters.

Malloy has committed to reducing the size of state government. His first state budget consolidates a number of agencies. He is pledging to thin the legions of middle managers.

Malloy had also threatened to layoff upwards of 5,000 state workers if state employee unions did not meet his demands for contract concessions and labor savings. He relented after striking a tentative deal with the unions that is now awaiting ratification.

Yet, the new Democratic governor has not taken as hard a line on deputy commissioner appointments.

The Malloy administration has a roster of 30 deputy commissioners or equivalent appointees, according to the governor’s budget office and the state comptroller’s office.

This is five more than his Republican predecessor had during the middle of the final year of her administration. However, Gov. M. Jodi Rell had 37 deputies on the payroll at the start of 2009. She announced her retirement in November of that year, clouding the prospects of reappointment for deputies and other appointees.

The average salary for Malloy’s 30 deputies is about $135,555 a year, and fringe benefits average approximately $32,210, excluding pension benefits. The average salary for Rell’s deputies was roughly $130,910 last year and $134,380 two years ago.

Roy Occhiogrosso, a top Malloy adviser, acknowledged that the governor has not been sparing in appointing deputy commissioners. He said the number of politically appointed deputies will decline as Malloy’s four-year term progresses.

“I think he has been pretty clear when he has been asked about it that he wants to restructure state government, he wants to flatten out management. He can’t do it overnight,” Occhiogrosso said.

He predicted Malloy will have fewer deputies on the administration’s payroll next year and even fewer the following year. How many he could not say.

In addition to the governor, the attorney general, the secretary of the state, the state treasurer and the state comptroller also make political appointments.

Treasurer Denise L. Nappier has a deputy treasurer, deputy chief investment officer, and six assistant treasurers. Comptroller Kevin Lembo named one deputy comptroller and two assistant comptrollers. Attorney General George C. Jepsen and Secretary of the State Denise Merrill selected one deputy each.

The number of politically appointed deputies in state government has come under scrutiny in recent years.

Two years ago, Rell had OPM evaluate the possibility of eliminating some deputies to help close a budget gap. She had a dozen fewer deputies in her final year in office. Yet, the reasons for that drop are unclear. The announcement of her retirement in November 2009 threw the possibility of reappointments in doubt.

This year, Republicans in the legislature proposed a 10 percent pay cut for commissioners and their deputies. Yet, that proposal — or even the immediate elimination of all politically appointed deputies — would not amount to a huge savings. Collectively, the payroll for the 30 deputies in the Malloy administration tops $4 million.

The highest paid deputy that works directly for Malloy is Mark Ojakian. He is the deputy secretary of the Office and Policy and Management, the governor’s budget office. His salary is $170,000 a year. He had been a top aide to Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman during her 15 years as comptroller.

His boss, Benjamin Barnes, the secretary of OPM, makes $187,000 a year. He is the highest paid member of the governor’s staff.

The lowest paid deputy is Dennis C. Murphy. Malloy appointed him deputy commissioner of labor about four weeks after he assumed office. His salary is $105,000. Murphy had worked for Malloy during his final years as mayor of Stamford. He was the city’s director of human resources from 2004 to 2008.

Malloy technically does not have the authority under state law to set the salaries for political appointees. Instead, the governor’s office recommends salaries to the Department of Administration Services. However, the OPM secretary must approve the department’s recommendations. It is the same for other officials with appointment powers.

An executive pay plan limits how much appointed officials can make.

It is divided into five groups, and each group has a salary range.

The approved salaries run from $40,000 for the lowest paid group to $218,618 for the highest paid group.

Several Malloy deputies are being paid more than predecessors in Rell’s administration.

Ojakian is making $22,530 more than Rell’s last deputy OPM secretary and $21,875 more than her last OPM secretary. Malloy and Rell each named four undersecretaries of OPM. Each one of Malloy’s appointees has a higher salary than their predecessors.

Jeanette DeJesus, the deputy commissioner of public health, is earning $162,500. In contrast, the two deputy commissioners in the Rell administration, Norma Gyle and Cristine A. Vogel, were paid almost $148,020 each.

Victor Diaz, deputy commissioner for the Department of Motor Vehicles, is paid less than his Rell counterpart, William Ramirez. Diaz, a former deputy city clerk in Waterbury, is making $115,000 annually. Ramirez, a former Waterbury alderman, made approximately $18,670 more a year.

Malloy reappointed 11 deputies who had worked for Rell and previous administrations. They are all being paid what they were last year.

Salary table for Malloy’s deputy commissioners

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has appointed 30 deputy commissioners or equivalent positions since he took office on Jan. 5. The average pay for these jobs is $135,555 a year, and fringe benefits average approximately $32,210 each, excluding pension benefits.

Name: Thomas P. Gilson
Postion: Deputy Chief Medical Examiner
Agency: Office of the Chief Medical Examiner
Salary: $262,110

Name: Mark Ojakian
Position: Deputy Secretary
Agency: Office of Policy and Management
Salary: $170,000

Name: Jeanette DeJesus
Position: Deputy Commissioner
Agency: Department of Public Health
Salary: $162,500

Name: Danny Stebbins
Position: Deputy Commissioner
Agency: Department of Public Safety
Salary: $160,000

Name: George A. Coleman
Position: Deputy Commissioner
Agency: Department of Education
Salary: $156,000

Name: Janice M. Gruendel
Position: Deputy Commissioner
Agency: Department of Children and Families
Salary: $150,000

Name: Kathryn Dupree
Position: Deputy Commissioner
Agency: Department of Developmental Services
Salary: $148,019

Name: Claudette J. Beaulieu
Position: Deputy Comissioner
Agency: Department of Social Services
Salary: $148,018

Name: Martin W. Anderson
Position: Deputy Commissioner
Agency: Department of Administrative Services
Salary: $145,030

Name: James P. Redeker
Position: Deputy Commissioner
Agency: Department of Transportation
Salary: $145,000

Name: Jane A. Ciarleglio
Position: Deputy Commissioner
Agency: Department of Higher Education
Salary: $142,352

Name: James E. Dzurenda
Agency: Department of Correction
Salary: $141,738

Name: Steven M. Scorzato
Position: Assistant Adjutant General
Agency: Military Department
Salary: $137,920

Name: Karen K. Buffkin
Position: Undersecretary
Agency: Office of Policy and Management
Salary: $135,000

Name: Gian-Carl F. Casa
Position: Undersecretary
Agency: Office of Policy and Management
Salary: $135,000

Name: Anne M. Foley
Position: Undersecretary
Agency: Office of Policy and Management
Salary: $135,000

Name: Michael P Lawlor
Position: Undersecretary
Agency: Office of Policy and Management
Salary: $135,000

Name: David J. O’Hearn
Position: Deputy Commissioner
Agency: Department of Public Works
Salary: $132,440

Name: Amey W. Marrella
Position: Deputy Commissioner
Agency: Department of Environmental Protection
Salary: $130,000

Name: Elizabeth K. Graham
Position: Deputy Commissioner
Agency: Department of Children and Families
Salary: $129,999

Name: Albert A. Martin
Position: Deputy Commissioner
Agency: Department of Transportation
Salary: $129,749

Name: Richard R. Bailey
Position: Deputy Chief Information Officer
Agency: Department of Information Technology
Salary: $126,707

Name: Ronald F. Angelo
Position: Deputy Commissioner
Agency: Department of Economic and Community Development

Salary: $123,806
Name: Jonathan P. Holmes
Position: Deputy Commissioner
Agency: Department of Public Works
Salary: $121,726

Name: Susan W. Frechette
Position: Deputy Commissioner
Agency: Department of Environmental Protection
Salary: $120,170

Name: Victor Diaz
Position: Deputy Commissioner
Agency: Department of Motor Vehicles
Salary: $115,000

Name: Cherly L. Cepelpak
Positions: Deputy Commissioner
Agency: Department of Correction
Salary: $111,987

Name: Joseph T. Perkins
Position: Deputy Commissioner
Agency: Department of Veterans’ Affairs
Salary: $111,395

Name: Dennis C. Murphy
Position: Deputy Commissioner
Agency: Department of Labor
Salary: $105,000

Name: Michelle Seagull
Position: Deputy Commissioner
Agency: Department of Consumer Protection
Salary: $105,000

Sources: Office of the State Comptroller; Office of Policy and Management