“While the Governor continues to tout his costly transportation and education initiatives to the citizens of the Commonwealth, Commissioner Dr. Sherri Killins was receiving a six-figure salary for a job that apparently didn’t require her full attention while the taxpayers continued to pay her full salary. Unfortunately, the administration believes it prudent to continue to pay Commissioner Killins for several more months as an outside consultant to “ease” the transition of leadership.
The economy is still in a fragile state of uncertainty, and
it is inappropriate to ask the taxpayers to pick up the tab of this
Commissioner’s salary when the Commonwealth is set to lose $6.3 million
dedicated for Head Start from the Federal Government due to the blanket cuts
caused by sequestration earlier this month.
Government needs to strive to eliminate the loss of public dollars, and we can’t afford to pay more than full-time salaries for part-time employees. It is unacceptable to ask taxpayers to pay almost $2 billion more in raised revenue when the Commonwealth’s fiscal house is far from being in order.
I hope the Governor will at the very least take a strong
look at his hiring practices. The citizens of the Commonwealth deserve so much
more than a part-time education chief making more than three times the median
household income, a DTA Commissioner who failed to properly manage our welfare
system, and a road menace State Highway Safety Director.
So while the resignation of Commissioner Dr. Killins comes
as welcome news, the recent string of employment failures of high ranking
government officials is most disturbing. I hope the Governor recognizes these
failures, and takes action to prevent them in the future.”
