Cronyism and nepotism is alive and well--new jobs and pay raises
The Arkansas Legislative Council on Friday signed off on state agencies' requests for approval of proposed new jobs and pay raises for the spouses of three state lawmakers, including a $27,000-a-year pay raise for Gov. Asa Hutchinson aide Phyllis Bell -- the wife of Rep. Nate Bell, an independent from Mena.
The new jobs and pay raises for the spouses of House Speaker Jeremy Gillam, R-Judsonia, and state Rep. Fred Love, D-Little Rock, also cleared the council without any lawmaker asking a question about the requests or discussing them during the council's meeting.
The Legislative Council's approval of these requests is required to comply with Arkansas Code Annotated 21-1-402 (b) that states that "No person whose spouse is elected to a constitutional office and during the term for which the spouse is elected, enter into employment with any state agency without the prior approval of the Joint Budget Committee during a legislative session, the Legislative Council between legislative sessions and the Governor," according to the state Office of Personnel Management.
The council approved Hutchinson's request to promote aide Phyllis Bell to senior adviser on child welfare and boost her annual salary from $53,000 to $80,000. The maximum-authorized salary for position is $81,426 a year, according to the state Office of Personnel Management.
Read more: http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2016/aug/20/governor-aide-gets-pay-raise-20160820/