Showing posts with label executive pay. Show all posts
Showing posts with label executive pay. Show all posts

Monday, February 13, 2012

Process of Elimination // Maryland Governor 2014 = Not Peter Franchot

#NotPeterFranchot

Maryland Juice thinks he has heard enough about the field of potential 2014 gubernatorial candidates to begin making some conclusions. We don't know yet who to support, but we know who not to support: #NotPeterFranchot.

Three-Count Indictment // Grand Jury of Democratic Primary Voters Convenes June 2014:
  • CHARGE 1: Peter Franchot thinks progressive taxation is extreme & his colleagues are misinformed
  • CHARGE 2: Peter Franchot wants to start a "mushy centrist" caucus to fight the extremists in his Party (Who are they? Name them.)
  • CHARGE 3: Peter Franchot wants to trigger a debt-ceiling debate in Maryland like the one the Tea Party started in Congress last year

Maryland Juice is not the only one that has been wondering if Peter Franchot left the Democratic Party. In December of 2011, The Baltimore Sun published an editorial headlined: "Peter Franchot channels the tea party." See an excerpt from their piece below:
BALTIMORE SUN: Peter Franchot Channels the Tea Party

December 26, 2011

Did we miss the press release announcing that Peter Franchot had joined the tea party? The comptroller certainly sounded like he'd gone over to the side of anti-government activism Monday when he cast the lone vote against a proposal at the Maryland Capital Debt Affordability Committee to accelerate some of the state's planned borrowing in hopes of spurring the economy through infrastructure spending. The Montgomery County Democrat opined that attempting to create jobs through such public works was "failed policy," adding, "Let the private sector create jobs."

For starters, the private sector in Maryland has been creating jobs, albeit at a frustratingly slow pace....

Looks like we need a change in the Comptroller's Office in 2014, whether or not Franchot decides to vacate. Perhaps he has nowhere else to go in the Democratic Primary, or perhaps he is truly a conservative, but lately I'm wondering which Party's Kool-Aid the State's Comptroller has been drinking. Today, The Star Democrat also reports that Mr. Franchot is trying to undermine the campaign to bring greater justice and transparency to Annapolis by trying to tilt policy outcomes to the right:
Franchot calls for 'common sense caucus'
The need for a business-friendly, fiscally-responsible state government was stressed by Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot, speaking Wednesday evening at the Dorchester Chamber of Commerce's 66th annual Membership Dinner.

Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot spoke about the "odd environment" in Annapolis Thursday evening during the Dorchester Chamber of Commerce's 66th annual Membership Dinner here in Governors Hall at Sailwinds Park....

Sunday, February 5, 2012

HYPOCRISY: Rep. Andy Harris Awards $44,000 in Bonuses to Staff // Tea Party Official Wants to Cut Federal Workforce

FILE UNDER: DO AS I SAY, NOT AS I DO

DelmarvaNOW.com is reporting that Maryland Congressman Andy Harris issued thousands of dollars in bonuses to his staff members last year. Maryland Juice wonders if Mr. Harris' office bartender Kevin Reigrut received a bonus, too? The news comes as the U.S. House Republicans propose layoffs to federal employees in order to prop up defense spending:
Republican Rep. Andy Harris of Maryland gave his staffers $44,006 in bonuses last year....

Harris spent $799,896 on staff salaries last year, according to information provided by his office....

Notably, the arguments cited for Congressional staff bonuses could apply to any sector of the economy during this recession:
Many lawmakers give bonuses out of concern that their employees' pay isn't competitive with private-sector salaries, said Pete Sepp, executive vice president of the National Taxpayers Union. Sepp said his organization isn't opposed to lawmakers giving bonuses.

Maryland Juice thinks these arguments may have some merit, but they sure do smell funny coming from people who think teachers, police and public sector employees are overpaid or don't need to have wages that keep pace with the private sector. His website right now prominently discusses his fiscal restraint: