Kansas Legislature
House speaker unsuccessfully tells legislative budget director not to implement agreed upon pay cuts
March 11, 2010, 9:48 a.m. Updated March 11, 2010, 5:14 p.m.
Advertisement
Topeka — Top Democrats criticized an unsuccessful push by Kansas' Republican House speaker to delay pay cuts for legislative leaders' staff — including the speaker's wife — because the state law imposing them took effect Thursday.
The law imposes a 5 percent cut in pay through June 30 for legislators, other elected state officials, judges and about 100 top administrators in the executive branch. It also applies to all staff in legislative leaders' offices, including their secretaries.
Speaker Mike O'Neal, a Hutchinson Republican, sent a letter Wednesday to Jeff Russell, the Legislature's administrative services, asking him not to reduce the pay for legislative leaders' staff.
Russell replied in writing Thursday that he didn't see any flexibility in the law. "Therefore, I do not believe I can comply with your request," he wrote.
The legislative staffers facing cuts include O'Neal's wife, Cindy, who has been a liaison for the House GOP caucus since January 2009.
"Don't let it be lost on you that we're talking about his own wife's pay," said Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley, a Topeka Democrat. "It applies to his wife."
O'Neal said Thursday that the House will re-examine the pay cut for legislators' staff because it does not apply to similar employees in the judicial or executive branches. He also said it makes more sense to delay cuts for legislative staff until the issue is settled than to start, stop and possibly restart the cuts.
His letter to Russell did not mention any legislative staffer by name or position, and his request would apply to all legislative leaders' staff.
O'Neal said he's not singling out any leaders' staff and is not even arguing against cutting their pay. Instead, he said, the policy should be consistent across state government.
"Apply the cuts to us, if you want, but make sure they apply to the executive and judicial branch offices," he said.
Russell told O'Neal that each legislative leader could counter the cut with an immediate pay raise for the affected staff, which could then be withdrawn later. Or, he said, legislators could give each staffer a one-time payment to make up for any lost wages.
Last year, the hiring of O'Neal's wife led Democratic Rep. Marti Crow, of Leavenworth, to file a nepotism complaint against the speaker. According to state payroll records, she was paid $26,802 last year.
But the Governmental Ethics Commission dismissed the complaint, saying the evidence didn't suggest the speaker played a role in his wife's hiring by the office of House Majority Leader Ray Merrick, a Stilwell Republican. She previously was secretary for the House Judiciary Committee, of which O'Neal was chairman.
The state's anti-nepotism law forbids a state employee from hiring or promoting a household member in a state job, or advocating such actions. It also prohibits an involvement in disciplinary action, but it says nothing specifically adjusting salaries or advocating salary changes.
"The commission has never even considered that issue," said Executive Director Carol Williams.
Meanwhile, Democrats were still criticizing O'Neal, an attorney, for filing a lawsuit against the state in Shawnee County over a financial move legislators approved last year to help balance the budget. His clients include industry workers' compensation funds, the Kansas Bankers Association, the Kansas Realtors Association and a Wichita company doing business as Speedy Cash.
House Democrats have promised "formal action" if the speaker didn't remove himself and his law firm from the case, but haven't responded yet to his refusal to do so.
As for the pay cut issue, House Minority Leader Paul Davis, a Lawrence Democrat, said he doesn't know if other legislators will want to revise the policy and in the meantime, they have to follow the law.
"The fact of the matter is, it was signed into law," Davis said. "We're going to have to abide by that."
More like this
- House Speaker O'Neal says memo doesn't conflict with his assertions in nepotism probe
- Ethics commission clears House speaker
- House speaker says payment to chief of staff was an advance, not a bonus
- Bonuses common for top staff
- Legislative Democrats tell House speaker to resign from lawsuit against state
- Ethics commission clears House speaker
Top ads RSS
Marketplace
Arts & Entertainment · Bars · Theatres · Restaurants · Coffeehouses · Libraries · Antiques · Services
- Vigil to remember World War II victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki July 30, 2010 · 167 comments
- Incoming KU student faces deportation after arrest July 29, 2010 · 269 comments
- Concern lacking July 31, 2010 · 72 comments
- Wage increases slated for police and firefighters July 31, 2010 · 74 comments
- Third child dies after car accident in Jefferson County July 29, 2010 · 69 comments
- Three injured in shooting at south Lawrence apartment complex August 1, 2010 · 4 comments
- Many U.S. jobs not coming back July 29, 2010 · 102 comments
- British health care cuts a bad omen for U.S. July 31, 2010 · 27 comments
- Ambulance, LifeStar leave scene of 'traumatic' injury accident without transporting patient July 30, 2010 · 34 comments
- Tonganoxie mayor resigns in wake of obscene e-mail scandal July 28, 2010 · 130 comments
- Russell Robinson makes rounds of Lawrence charities to donate old gear to benefit others July 30, 2010
- Pa. town reluctantly takes place in spotlight November 9, 2001
- Firefighters still working to extinguish fire that razed Lecompton cabinet company July 27, 2010
- Tracking down Brien Taylor July 14, 2006
- Fire reported at Lecompton cabinet store July 26, 2010
- Three injured in shooting at south Lawrence apartment complex August 1, 2010
- Ambulance, LifeStar leave scene of 'traumatic' injury accident without transporting patient July 30, 2010
- Tonganoxie mayor sends obscene e-mail — again July 27, 2010
- Parkinson says Kansas economy is improving July 30, 2010
- Fire at Lecompton cabinet-making shop causes $340,000 in damage; official cause still unknown July 28, 2010
Comments
LJWorld.com doesn’t necessarily condone the comments here, nor does it review every post. Read our full policy. Also, read about banned accounts and harassing comments.
Bob_Keeshan (anonymous) says…
And yet the House Republican caucus continues to stand behind this guy.
At some point, Kansans need to direct their ire towards those bozos. If this is the guy they choose as their leader, are they really fit to serve?
SpunKey (anonymous) says…
Hummmm... timing and potocol seem dirty here.
What passed is past.
Why stir it up now? Has the wife has been "on strike at home" to get leader to take action? Is the family budget too tight? Why shouldn't people who make a living off the taxpayers feel some pinch just like the rest of the citizens?
jkanderson (anonymous) says…
I think this was signed into law by the governor and supposed to apply to April pay. O'Neal thinks he can write a memo overturn law ? This guy has lost control.
goldwater (anonymous) says…
First of all O"Neal believes he is the law and will do whatever he wants. He doesn't give a **** what anyone thinks.
But his mindset on this issue really isn't any different than most Kansans. Don't cut any of my services or raise my taxes, but its ok to cut someone elses services and raise their taxes.
I remember the clip from a town hall meeting in South Carolina, a gentleman was ranting against the government take over of health care and ended his rant by telling the government to "keep it's hands off his Medicare".
Made_in_China (Paul R. Getto) says…
You folks are being pretty charitable. On the Topeka paper the theme is to 'blow boogers on the back of his suit if you can catch him in an elevator.' In any event, an interesting bit of manipulation and hypocrisy.
WilburM (anonymous) says…
Just completely and utterly tone deaf. How can this guy possibly lead? He lost control of his caucus last year, and he's doing it again. Make sit really easy for GOP legislators to jump ship. Hard to replace someone mid-session, but I'll bet it's occurred to more than a few folks in Topeka.
anon1958 (anonymous) says…
How is ONeal, not perfect for leading the party that is leading Kansas into oblivion? You just cannot get better comedy anywhere else on the planet than the unintentional farce that is also known as the Kansas republican party.