5% Pay Cuts in Sacramento

Your Nov. 24 article implying Gov. Pete Wilson is granting supervisors, top managers as well as political appointees a pay increase and a cash windfall in the face of a budget shortfall is inaccurate.

There is no cash windfall for state supervisors and managers. Also, the state is avoiding $32 million in salary costs during the current budget by giving managers and supervisors vacation for pay. This is in addition to the $51 million in salary savings last year under this program.

Faced with an unprecedented budget shortfall since becoming governor, Wilson has made a concerted effort to reduce costs. In June of 1991, Wilson requested all of his non-civil service appointees to Cabinet secretary, department director and boards and commission positions whose salaries are set by state law to follow his lead and voluntarily reduce their salaries by 5%. Virtually all appointees complied with his request. These voluntary reductions remain in effect and will continue.

In July, 1991, state managers’ salaries, and subsequently in October, 1991, state supervisors’ salaries were reduced by 5%. When the courts precluded implementing a one-year, 5% pay reduction for rank-and-file employees, a compromise was negotiated with the employee representatives to exchange one day of pay per month for one day of vacation for 18 months. Consequently, the governor felt that equity demanded the same program be implemented for supervisors and managers.

The article also indicates supervisors and managers will be eligible for a cash windfall. This is inaccurate. Employees who have not taken these vacation days when they leave state service will take them at that time. The cost for these unused vacation days will be offset by not refilling the position until the vacation days are used.

DAVID J. TIRAPELLE, Director, Department of Personnel Administration, Sacramento