SOUTHWICK – State Rep. Nicholas R. Boldyga (R-Southwick) is trying to put a cap on high state employee salaries.
Last week Boldyga filed House Bill 3299,”An Act relative to the welfare of the taxpayers of the Commonwealth, in an effort to limit the salaries of all Massachusetts State employees to not exceed the annual salary of the Governor.”
Gov. Deval Patrick’s annual salary is $137,315.35. Boldyga said there are state employees that make nearly $1 million annually, which is far above the state average of around $60,000.
Boldyga said the number of Massachusetts state workers making six-figure salaries jumped 12 percent from last year. According to payroll records obtained by the Boston Herald, nearly 7,700 state employees raked in over $100,000 or more last year. These 7,700 public employees include 2,557 University of Massachusetts employees with some earning between $200,000 and almost $800,000 a year.
“I find it unbelievable that the governor is pushing for nearly $2 billion in tax hikes in the midst of an economic crisis and high unemployment rates. Meanwhile, state employees are collecting exorbitant salaries all while the state’s median income went down. Instead of asking for another tax increase on the backs of working-class people, we should start cutting these $100K plus a year state jobs,” said Boldyga.
The salaries comprise about 20-percent of the entire state budget, Boldyga said.
“The number of people making over $100,000 increased 12-percent last year, while at the same time, the state median income went down about $1,000,” he said. “I think people are fed up and something has to be done.”
Boldyga said he chose the governor’s salary as the starting point for the cap because “he is basically the CEO of the state.”
The bill was sent to committee for discussion. Boldyga said he hopes Bill 3299 will shed a light on the high salaries of a large number of state employees. He said it would take “political courage” for his colleagues to back him.
“With something like this, I hope to bring attention to this administration and what the other side of the aisle lets go,” said Boldyga. “We want to create jobs and get people off food stamps and we need to bring forth light to the waste and fraud going on. We need real reform and real change.”
To see state employee salary information, click here.
