Gov.-elect stocks Cabinet with an eye on the bottom line

Topeka ? It’s not enough to close the budget gap, but Gov.-elect Kathleen Sebelius is saving some money in hiring her new Cabinet.

Each of Sebelius’ new appointees will start at $90,000 per year, according to spokeswoman Nicole Corcoran-Basso.

That is less than the current Cabinet under Gov. Bill Graves, though many of Graves’ appointees have been in their posts for several years.

The exceptions to the $90,000 rule will be two holdovers from the Graves administration — Social and Rehabilitation Services Secretary Janet Schalansky and Kansas Wildlife and Parks Secretary Mike Hayden — whom Sebelius has asked to serve in her administration at their current salaries.

Schalansky earns $93,454, and Hayden earns $92,917, according to the Kansas Department of Administration.

One salary still up in the air is that of Lt. Gov.-elect John Moore, who also will serve as secretary of commerce and housing, according to Corcoran-Basso.

The current holder of that job is Sherry Brown, who is paid $95,000 per year. She was appointed acting secretary in October by Graves after former Lt. Gov. Gary Sherrer resigned to take a position with a Leawood bank.

Sebelius will be sworn into office Monday; she faces a budget deficit of several hundred million dollars.

Just what does Gov.-elect Kathleen Sebelius plan to do about the state’s budget dilemma?For a look at that, plus a preview of the upcoming session and a peek at Lawrence legislative delegation, see Sunday’s Journal-World.

She has appointed Lawrence resident Rod Bremby as secretary of health and environment.

Bremby is resigning from a job at Kansas University where he was paid $57,554 through a grant from the Kansas Health Foundation. His new job’s salary matches what he earned as assistant Lawrence city manager before he left that job to work at KU.

Other cabinet secretaries who will start at a $90,000 annual salary are Topeka businessman Howard Fricke as secretary of administration; highway consultant Deb Miller of Topeka as secretary of transportation; former Topeka Mayor Joan Wagnon as acting secretary of revenue; and outgoing state legislator Jim Garner of Coffeyville as acting secretary of human resources.

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The current health and environment secretary, Clyde Graeber, earns $92,069; Secretary of Administration Joyce Glasscock, $95,292; Transportation Secretary Dean Carlson, $99,081; Revenue Secretary Stephen Richards, $97,291; and Secretary of Human Resources Richard Beyer, $92,086.

Annual savings from the salary reductions total $25,819.

Sebelius has yet to appoint secretaries of agriculture, aging and corrections and a commissioner of juvenile justice.