PROVIDENCE, R.I. - With lawmakers a day away from voting on rejecting raises totaling more than 6 percent that he wanted to give the 14 state agency directors in his cabinet, Governor Chafee backed down Tuesday night.
"While the governor believes that these salary adjustments are well-deserved,'' spokeswoman Christine Hunsinger said he had decided to withdraw the proposal in light of the $50 million-plus revenue shortfall identified last week by the state's top fiscal advisers.
Earlier in the night, she said Chafee would "stick by his team,'' despite announced plans by House Speaker Gordon D. Fox to back efforts to formally reject the compounded pay raises of 3 percent in June and again in December that Chafee sought to give his top-tier staff.
If Rhode Islanders "want to attract and retain talent, they are going to have to pay for it,'' she said.
But a short time later, she said Chafee had reconsidered "in light of the revenue shortfall.''
"He understands that these are tough times...[and] believes that pulling the request demonstrates to Rhode Islanders that he understands and sympathizes with the tough economic times that they are weathering.''