Gov. Dan McKee’s pitch to raise salaries for 11 state cabinet members is not getting the typical stamp of approval by state lawmakers.
House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi in an interview with Tara Granahan on WPRO on Monday expressed reservations with McKee’s proposed pay hikes, noting the projected $250 million budget deficit for the fiscal year that starts July 1.
“We simply don’t have that money,” Shekarchi, a Warwick Democrat, told Granahan.
Of McKee’s pay raises, Shekarchi said, “It’s a different message than what I am saying to every single advocacy group that comes to see me that wants funding.”
Shekarchi also revealed he was not given any advanced notice of the governor’s proposed pay bumps prior to reading about them in the Providence Journal. The Journal first reported on the annual salary increases last Friday, based on a public hearing notice filed by the Rhode Island Department of Administration.
A public hearing on the pay increases for 11 cabinet heads will take place at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the William E. Powers Department of Administration building, with an option for remote participation.
It’s not uncommon for some or all state cabinet directors to get an annual pay bump; state law allows for vetting of department leaders each year in March. Proposed pay raises automatically take effect within 30 days of being referred to the Rhode Island General Assembly unless both chambers of the legislature reject them.
Last year’s raises were adopted without pushback from lawmakers. The 2024 pay hikes included a 42% raise for the vacant state health director post, which was subsequently filled by Dr. Jerry Larkin.
This year, McKee has proposed 5% raises for nine cabinet heads. Another two positions heading the Rhode Island Department of Transportation and Department of Public Safety would see raises of 2% and 0.5%, respectively.
McKee’s office and the Department of Administration did not immediately respond to inquiries for comment Tuesday. However, Karen Greco, a spokesperson for DOA, told the Providence Journal the proposed salary increases were intended to keep Rhode Island competitive with neighboring states.
Nine of the 11 cabinet positions slated to see increases in their “base salary” levels — which does not account for overtime or other compensation and benefits — also received pay bumps in 2024. All of the cabinet heads set to receive a second year of consecutive salary raises are men, except for Ashley Deckert, director of the Department of Children, Youth and Families.
Also in line for a salary increase: Rhode Island Department of Public Transportation Director Peter Alviti Jr., who remains under close public scrutiny over his department’s handling of the Washington Bridge closure and rebuild. Alviti’s 2% raise, if approved, would bring his base salary to $192,000 a year. Alviti was appointed by then-Gov. Gina Raimondo in 2015; and is the longest-serving state cabinet member.
DOA Director Jonathan Womer, who also got a raise last year, would see the largest dollar increase this year, from $185,590 to $194,880, under McKee’s proposal, equal to 5%. Col. Darnell Weaver, Rhode Island State Police superintendent and director of the public safety department would have the highest base pay of the 11 department heads proposed to receive increases; however, his $196,000 salary reflects only a 0.5% bump over the prior year.
Other cabinet positions slated to receive raises for a second consecutive year include director of the Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals; director of the Department of Corrections; director of the Department of Environmental Management; director of the Department of Labor and Training; and the director of the Department of Revenue.
Two of the 11 cabinet positions up for raises this year did not receive them last year, both of which are held by women. Department of Business Regulation Director Elizabeth Dwyer and Department of Human Services Director Kimberly Merolla-Brito were both appointed to their positions by McKee in 2023.
Strong reaction
Shekarchi told Granahan Monday that lawmakers are already hearing from constituents who are “reacting very strongly” to the proposed salary increases this year. He did not specify whether certain positions were subject to more public scrutiny.
Rep. Enrique Sanchez, a Providence Democrat, blasted the proposed increases as “ridiculous” in a post on X on Monday night.
“Governor McKee is out of his mind if he thinks raising the salaries of Director Alviti and other cabinet members is a good idea,” Sanchez wrote.
In 2022, McKee walked back his initial salary increases, spreading out pay bumps over two years amid pushback from the legislature. In 2013, former Gov. Lincoln Chafee in 2013 withdrew his proposed 6% raises for cabinet heads due to concern from legislative leaders of both parties, according to news reports.
However, there’s no record of lawmakers exercising their powers to reject pay raises through formal legislative action, according to Larry Berman, a spokesperson for Shekarchi. State law requires both chambers “act concurrently” to take formal action to reject the proposed raises within 30 days.
Shekarchi and Senate President Dominick Ruggerio in a joint statement Tuesday said they plan to discuss the proposed pay bumps with the governor this week and monitor the public hearing. They have not yet come out with plans to veto the pay increases.
This story was originally published by the Rhode Island Current.
