There is another chapter to the ongoing series of stories of how the republican \"fiscal conservatives\" are breaking us. Now comes more information about Walker Crony Cynthia Archer. As JSonline points out, that when the republican legislature went along with Scott Walkers desire to have more political appointments(Umm wasn’t smaller government part of your platform?) the person who benefited the most was(drum roll please): CYNTHIA ARCHER!
By far the biggest beneficiary of a move earlier this year to turn three dozen civil service jobs into political appointments is Cindy Archer, the one-time top aide to Gov. Scott Walker whose house was raided by the FBI last week.
Archer served as Walker’s deputy administration secretary until last month, when she abruptly shifted into a job as legislative liaison at the Department of Children and Families. She is being paid $99,449 a year – $39,129 more than the $60,320 the last person to hold the job made.
The governor could funnel such a huge increase into the job because earlier this year Republicans who control the Legislature went along with his plan to give him more political appointments. The change allows department secretaries to go around the normal hiring process and name whomever they want as chief counsel, communications director and legislative liaison.
Archer isn’t the only one benefiting from the new system. One employee kept the same job and saw an 18% boost in pay; another is making 10% more than what her predecessor did.
The political appointments were created in the same legislation that eliminated most collective bargaining for public employees and required them to pay more for their health care and pensions. Paying more for benefits is costing an average state employee making $50,000 a year about $4,400, or 9%. Walker insisted most employees had to pay those costs because the state is “broke.”
Yes the party ofthe party of smaller government and fiscal conservatism, has increased government, lowered accountability and given huge raises. But Wait there is more!!! If you do the Govrnor’s dirty work, you not only get a $40,000/ yr raise, you do not even have to show up to work to get it!!
Cindy Archer. But by far the biggest boost has gone to the job held by Archer, who is making 65% more than the woman who held the job before her.
Archer started drawing a paycheck for the job Aug. 22 but has never shown up for it because she is on paid medical leave. Administration officials say she earned the paid leave during an earlier stint as a state employee that ended eight years ago, in 2003.
Until taking the new job, Archer was making $124,000 as Walker’s deputy administration secretary. Before that, she was Walker’s top aide when he was Milwaukee County executive.
Sara Buschman, a spokeswoman for the Department of Children and Families, said paying Archer far more than the last person to hold the job in the Department of Children and Families was warranted because Archer will have substantially more duties than her predecessor. Buschman did not say, however, what those additional duties will be.
They say(presumably with a straight face)the jump in pay is because they now have “more duties” yet where was this logic in New Berlin where the teachers are forced to work hundreds of hours extra, after their forced pay cut? Maybe Cynthia Archer made the extra pay for burying her box? She will need that money now to buy a new computer, it seems hers is indisposed at the moment.
Can you really take anyone in the Walker administration serious anymore?
Is this hush money, bribery, blackmail, payola?
What is this medical condition that prevents Ms. Archer (is the job title the Legislature Liaison to the Department of Children and Families?) from assuming “substantially more duties”. Who is doing those duties now that she is “ill” if they are so significant?