A sleeper of a bill that would require Gov. John Baldacci to cut $1 million worth of political appointees from state government has made it through its first round of votes in the House and Senate and will be taken up again when the Legislature comes back May 22.
The bill was sponsored by Democratic Sen. John Nutting of Androscoggin, who insists it’s nothing against the governor, but rather a general call to cut government spending.
“In the last 10 years, we have cut 2,400 state workers and that’s good. But we haven’t made cuts at the top,” Nutting said.
Nutting handed out a list to his fellow legislators that not only gave the salaries of all government appointed positions in Augusta, but showed a comparison between Baldacci and former Governors Angus King and John McKernan on the size of their special assistants staff.
That comparison showed Baldacci spending $2.2 million on special assistants this year as compared to $1.6 million at the end of the King administration and $1 million at the end of McKernan’s term.
Nutting said the bill would allow Baldacci to cut his own staff or any political appointees in the various departments he oversees.
The bill initially failed in the Senate but then passed the House by six votes, including four Democrats. It came back to the Senate and passed 18-16, with Nutting and Democratic Sen. Nancy Sullivan of York supporting it.
It’s not clear whether the votes will hold up when the Legislature returns, since several were reportedly cast to use as barter on other bills – like the transportation bond.
But, for now, the bill calls for the governor to trim eight or nine positions equal to $1 million in salary and benefits.
Sen. Richard Nass, R-York, enthusiastically supported the bill, saying Baldacci is spending twice as much on special assistants as McKernan did.
Sen. Peggy Rotundo, chairman of the Appropriations Committee, said staffing levels “got thoroughly reviewed” last year when the state was trying to fill a $250 million hole in the budget, and the legislative committees that oversee state departments didn’t come forward with any cuts save one person in the Department of Agriculture.
Nutting said he’s been asking for some time what all the special assistants for the governor do, but “unfortunately I haven’t received an answer to that question.”
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