You know you are a Republican when your entry level job salary puts you in the top 10%–even if you’re a state employee. That’s what happened to two political hacks and recent college graduates in the McCrory administration. According to Sarah Ovaska at N. C. Policy Watch, Ricky Diaz and Matthew McKillip, both 24 and both two years out of college, are making $85,000 and $87,500, respectively. Just to put that into a little perspective, that’s almost twice the median household income in North Carolina.
So what do these wunderkinds do? Well, they both are top members of Health and Human Services Secretary Aldona Wos’ staff. Diaz is her Communications Director and McKillip is–get this–her chief policy advisor. I kid you not. A 24 year-old political hack is the chief policy advisor for the Department of Health and Human Services.
I wonder which one told her to say that Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin was responsible turning down the Medicaid expansion? Regardless, somebody’s making the big bucks for that type of advice. Both started in January. Both saw their salaries increase by more than $20,000 in April. Must be nice to be appreciated. I’m sure teachers would feel the same.
Republicans might not like government but they sure seem to enjoy the perks. Cabinet secretaries got fat raises before they even started work. Hell, Kieran Shanahan thought it was a part-time gig. Now, kids can move straight from the campaign trail to high-powered, high-paying gigs in the administration. Next, we’ll hear that the summer intern at the Department of Public Safety is taking a leave from his senior year to become Secretary.
These guys just can’t seem to get the optics. They cut off jobless benefits to 70,000 North Carolinians, many with families, who can’t find work after the recession but give big pay raises to highly paid cabinet secretaries. They can’t afford to give raises to teachers and public employees, many of whom have been on the job for years, but they can give $20,000 pay bumps to kids who’ve been on the job for three months.
But, hey, that’s running government like a big business–a Wall Street business. Overpay your executives, under pay your workers and screw the shareholders. The Republican Way.
Thomas Mills is the founder and publisher of PoliticsNC.com. Before beginning PoliticsNC, Thomas spent twenty years as a political and public affairs consultant. Learn more >
I know that cronyism has existed, and will continue to exist, as long as there are political systems. But to have this happen in departments where funds, programs, and services have been so drastically cut is unconscionable. A real slap in the face to North Carolinians. The salaries for these 2 is way out of line, especially considering the current economic climate. Makes me wonder what the salaries of the other McCrory appointees looks like. What kind of experience does a 24-year old have that would qualify them to be Chief Policy Advisor for DHHS? Did anyone see a resume? Check references? Were they other more qualified applicants? My respect for McCrory is down the drain.
I remember when the governor was elected he put adverts in many newspapers across the state advising all about the new meritocracy rising in Raleigh. Same old same old. Heres what that site looks like now: http://www.workforpat.com/apply/
As a retired state employee, with almost all of my 30 years under the leadership of the democratic party, i saw plenty of cronyism and the same type activity as you whine about above. It’s not a party thing, it’s a political thing. So pull your head out of your rear end and get a life…and to Charlie and Ass, i mean AS, I’m sure you are deadbeat liberals looking to take a bite out of the Republicans. Go get a job…
It usually takes many years of political brown nosing to gain those jobs at that salary in government or a very big donor who is asking for “pay back” from a politician. Surely those “experienced” “senior staffers” of age 24 in such a critical office have the name “Pope” somewhere in their family tree? I have a son with disabilities. It’s bad enough to have a republican tea party right wing heartless asshat in these positions of leadership. But a 24 year old who likely sees Paul Ryan as their hero with a copy of Atlas Shrugged clutched in his sweaty hands is just part of the nightmare our state is living.
The Republican way! I’ve got mine, screw the rest of you.