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SPEAKER DAUDT: GOV. DAYTON'S PAY RAISES OUT OF TOUCH

ST. PAUL, MN—Governor Dayton took action Wednesday to increase the pay of political appointees, raising the pay of 31 agency heads between $1,989 and $42,500 each. The pay raise controversy began earlier this year when Governor Dayton used authority granted by the 2013 DFL-controlled legislature that enabled Governor Dayton to unilaterally approve commissioner salaries, which previously were decided by the legislature (2013 House Journal Page 6506 (http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/cco/journals/2013-14/J0520062.htm#6506)). House Republicans led the effort to reverse this authority, and place commissioner salary decisions back in the hands of the legislature

effective July 2, 2015 (2015 House Journal Page 523 (http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/cco/journals/2015-16/J0226020.htm#523)).

Earlier Wednesday, House Speaker Kurt Daudt (R-Crown) spoke publicly and issued the following statement regarding the governor's decision to raise commissioner salaries: "Governor Dayton's decision is simply out of touch with what the vast majority of Minnesotans expect from their government officials. At a time when families are only seeing modest increases in their paychecks, it's disappointing that Governor Dayton would raise commissioner salaries by $30,000 on average for political appointees who already make six-figure salaries.

"Legislative Democrats will have to explain to Minnesota families why they decided two years ago to give Governor Dayton this authority. They removed the public from the process and allowed Dayton to award these

massive pay increases.

"While Democrats defend pay increases for commissioners making six-figure salaries, Republicans will continue to fight for policies that grow paychecks for middle class families."

 

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