Posted by Bruce Bourgoine who blogs at Dirigo Blue and Kennebec Blues.
Many in Maine were caught off guard when Governor-elect Paul LePage announced he would be hiring his just out of school 22 year old daughter to a $41,000 position today to her first regular job as reported in the Bangor Daily News. That will be $41,000 to the good for her since it was also reported in the Portland Press Herald that she will also live with Mom and Gov-Dad at the state’s executive mansion, the Blaine House conveniently across the street from the office.
I do not automatically disagree with an elected official hiring a well qualified family member into a discretionary support or advisory position and in Maine such action is technically legal. But many on the right in our state are already making to reference the Bobby Kennedy precedent. As if a highly experienced attorney who served in various DOJ investigative roles and as chief counsel on congressional committees who was confirmed in his post by the United States Senate is anywhere near to being an appropriate comparison.
Tea party supported GOP candidate LePage ran against what he implied was an insular line-their-own-pockets Augusta state capitol crowd. He was propelled forward by repeatedly referencing that Maine state employees are overpaid. That makes this crass move one of betrayal of the pull-up-your-own-bootstraps rural and conservative folks who put him into office. It is the same thing they see when the local businessman gets on the board of selectmen and promptly steers the town plowing contract to his brother-in-law who has a pick-up truck.
Paul LePage may get a pass on this; the tea party crowd seems endlessly willing to let their manipulators take self serving, tactless steps all the time as long as they cut taxes, put unionized state workers in their place, and toss that old lady with the three kids down road off public assistance. "I got mine" forgives "I got mine".
We are hopeful it does resonate with some. Paul LePage’s criticism of state worker wages as too high while hiring his daughter for a position described as "entry-level" and "commensurate with her experience, work history and education" at $41,000 a year rings hollow now in a state where wages are low, unemployment is high, and poverty is often visible. Her entry level without significant experience is $10,000 more than many entry level teacher positions in Maine. As many as 2,000 state workers may also on the line to be laid off as LePage moves to downsize state government as he has repeatedly promised.
So Paul LePage has started running government like a business, like a family business. And he is delivering on his promise to create jobs and stem the tide of young people leaving the state.