The state Corrections Department commissioner made a startling
public admission yesterday: his department has political patronage
employees pushed on him by legislators and the governor's
office and paid more than $850,000 a year.
The concession - often assumed but seldom admitted openly
- came as legislators questioned state Corrections Commissioner
Devon Brown about, among other things, free housing for department
administrators.
Brown told the Assembly Budget Committee his department has
employees thrust upon it by the legislative and executive
branches and, according to the department, the patronage jobs
pay a total of nearly $867,000 a year.
"It's substantial," Brown said. "These are
not light salaries."
Asked by Assemblyman Joseph Malone III, R-Bordentown City,
how many patronage jobs he would like to get rid of, Brown
said, "All of them."
Assemblyman Louis Greenwald, D-Cherry Hill, the budget committee
chairman, told Brown he wanted an immediate list of names.
"I'm going to assume they're unqualified," Greenwald
said.
To which Malone said, "It's not just unqualified. It's
unnecessary."
Greenwald noted Brown didn't disagree with that assessment.
"I'm taking that to mean you would not have hired them?"
he asked Brown.
That was exactly what it meant, the commissioner said.
He later gave the committee a list of 14 employees. The list
said they were hired since Gov. James E. McGreevey, who resigned
in November, took office in 2001, though, according to department
spokesman Matt Schuman, one worker was hired in September
1996.
The department has about 9,700 employees. The list provided
to the committee included employees with jobs ranging from
a welder and chaplain to a division director and assistant
superintendent, with salaries ranging from $33,515 to $99,813
a year, Schuman said.
Greenwald said the commissioner was ultimately responsible
for making the hires. "I'm shocked and disappointed,"
said Greenwald, who said he didn't know anyone on the list.
After the hearing, committee Republicans demanded acting Gov.
Richard J. Codey, a Democrat, investigate political patronage
in state departments.
"The commissioner's testimony today confirmed a troubling
trend that many of us have suspected for years - that there
are many well-paid state employees who have their jobs not
out of necessity but because of political connections,"
said Assemblyman Kevin O'Toole, R-Cedar Grove.
Codey spokeswoman Kelley Heck said the administration is "looking
into it" but said Brown's comments "were news to
us, actually."
Heck said Diane Legreide, operations and management chief
in the governor's office since March 2004, said none of the
employees on Brown's list was hired by the governor.
"They have definitely not come through the governor's
office," Heck said.
The revelation came as legislators debated the department's
proposed budget for the next fiscal year. The department is
to receive $914 million for services and $753.5 million for
institutional operations. Each allocation is up about 1 percent
from this fiscal year.
With Assembly members looking to restore tax rebates to property
owners, the budget panel has been looking for money as it
mulls proposed spending in each department.
"This is exactly the kind of unnecessary spending that
we have tried to focus upon during these hearings," Malone
said.
Brown also was questioned on free housing provided to administrators
adjacent to jail facilities. The state has nine such homes,
said Assistant Commissioner Peter Roselli.
"Why should they be any different from other individuals
who work for the state, and why should they be in housing?"
Malone asked.
Brown, who lives in free housing in Bordentown Township, said
facility administrators are allowed to live in housing near
institutions so they can be readily available to respond to
emergencies. He said that arrangement "is not unreasonable,"
but Malone cited the tough budget times.
"I would seriously request that you seriously look at
the absolute need to have these houses," Malone said.
