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Bean-headed pay raises

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 13, 2009

Hillsborough County residents have every reason to protest the pay raises County Administrator Pat Bean gave six top administrators at a time when county employees face layoffs and furloughs.

Bean attempted to justify her decision - made seven months ago but only recently reported - by arguing her deputies had taken on added responsibilities and the promotions jumped them to higher pay grades.

But it matters little that the raises went to dedicated and hardworking employees. Nor does it matter that Bean streamlined administrative duties, saving far more money than the raises cost.

Most of the commissioners would have none of it, and rightly so.

The salary increases send a terrible message to employees fearful of losing their jobs and taxpayers worried about the loss of services. That's one of the reasons commissioners cut their own pay. They get it that taxpayers who pay those salaries have little stomach for tone-deaf pols.

Bean, who proposes cutting more than $140 million worth of jobs and programs, appears to be just that. The veteran county administrator hasn't seemed at the top of her game lately.

What does it say to citizens when her budget director, who makes $163,000 a year, gets a 12 percent raise? What does it tell county employees when her top lobbyist gets a $20,000 boost to $136,000 a year while many of her colleagues are wondering what they will do if they're laid off?

We don't question that these six people may well deserve raises, particularly if they have taken on added responsibilities, but not now. There are administrators and workers all over this town - indeed, all over the country - who have taken on extra duties, many for less pay, during the downturn. The raises should come when the economy is on the rebound.

Seven months ago the economy was already spiraling downward. Bean had to know property tax revenues were falling and would not come close to covering the costs of county programs. So her decision is all the more frustrating.

Raising salaries during a recession makes Bean's administration look out of touch and diverts attention from the county's serious financial situation.

And it doesn't help the administration's image that it appeared ill-prepared for the large crowd that gathered for Tuesday's budget-cut hearings.

By and large Bean has been a capable administrator. But given the challenges of this dire economy, she needs to take her game to a higher level. She can start by acknowledging that the sacrifices being demanded of most every worker, public and private, these days should not exclude her upper-level administrators.

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