Are Fenty Cabinet Members Getting too much Dough?

Some DC Council members; David Catania and Jack Evans among them don't seem to have a problem with the new much higher salaries that Mayor Adrian Fenty is paying to attract people to his new team; but don't count veteran Councilwoman Carol Schwartz among them. She's outspoken if not downright angry over the dollars that are being tossed at the new top level administrators...$275,000 plus bonuses for both school Chancellor Michelle Rhee and School Facilities czar Allen Lew.

Schwartz has scheduled a hearing on the subject...and while it appears as through most of the Council is prepared to allow the new popular Mayor to have his way Schwartz is undeterred. Here's the release that went out to news media;


At-Large Council member Carol Schwartz today announced that she has scheduled a hearing on the new executive pay schedule for District government agency heads on September 26 at 2:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber, Room 500 of the John A. Wilson Building.

The pay schedule, which was proposed by Mayor Adrian Fenty on an emergency basis, raised the maximum possible salary for an agency head from $179,000 to $279,900. As introduced, it also would have allowed the Mayor unfettered control to decide the individual salary amounts for all agency heads. Council member Schwartz successfully moved an amendment on Tuesday to require that the Council approve any proposed salary above $179,000. The amendment allowed a one-time exemption from the Council approval requirement for the salaries already negotiated for the Chief of Police, Fire Chief, Chief Financial Officer, Executive Director for School Facilities and School Chancellor, and the soon-to-be-negotiated Chief Medical Examiner position, which is difficult to fill.


“We have to take a look at this before things get out of hand,” said Schwartz. “I am not opposed to our employees being fairly compensated, but some of these compensation packages, which are paid for by the taxpayers, are exorbitant and border on being irresponsible.”

Schwartz continued, “The Mayor sent this pay increase to us on an emergency basis, leaving no time for public input, which we certainly need. The September 26th hearing will provide an opportunity for that discussion.”

Those who wish to testify should contact Andrew Gerst of the Committee on Workforce Development and Government Operations by e-mail at agerst@dccouncil.us or by telephone at (202) 724-8105.

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