PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- State revenue projections have dropped by more than $50 million, but that has not changed Governor Chafee's mind about giving compounded raises of 3 percent in June and another 3 percent at the end of December to the 14 top administrators in state government, according to a spokeswoman.
Chafee spokeswoman Christine Hunsinger said the back-to-back raises are "merit salary adjustments'' for people in positions that have not seen raises in years. She said the raises are equivalent to what other state employees got in 2011, at a cost for this small group of state agency directors of $111,590.
As for what the raises of this magnitude might signal to other state workers awaiting the outcome of contract negotiations, she said any attempt to link the directors' raises to anything else "would be a mistake. This is a sole issue.''
State law gives the House and Senate 30 days from receiving the governor's proposal to say no. The deadline falls Sunday. Legislative leaders have not said what, if anything, they will do.