Friday, November 9, 2012 —
RALEIGH -- I suppose Republican state legislators thought that they were doing Pat McCrory a favor.
Perhaps it will work out that way. Perhaps not.
Months before the election, state legislators and every other political observer in the state knew that McCrory was the favorite to become the next governor.
So, no one was too surprised when a Republican-controlled legislature passed some measures giving the next governor more hiring flexibility than the current governor.
That hiring flexibility expands the number of what are known as "exempt positions," state jobs that are not subject to normal hiring and firing rules, from about 450 to up to 1,000. It also allows the governor to establish salaries for state agency heads and their chief deputies.
Jobs exempt from normal civil service protections are there because of a recognition that governors need loyal lieutenants running the government bureaucracy. Those at the very top of the state agency ladder, along with those working in the governor's office itself, work with the knowledge that their jobs are dependent upon the political fortunes of their elected bosses.
Back last summer, legislative leaders defended expanding those positions and providing more salary flexibility for some jobs by saying that the changes would allow the next governor to induce highly qualified people to fill top state government jobs.
The legislature, by the way, did not provide any additional money, so any higher salaries will likely have to come from vacant agency positions.
This public rationale for the change may prove itself over time.
A good argument can be made that a governor, particularly when it comes to complex health care-related positions like some jobs at the Department of Health and Human Services, could find more qualified people to fill top jobs with better pay.
Running a state agency more effectively and efficiently could more than make up for any higher pay going to the top bureaucrat at a particular agency. And if more hiring flexibility is required to make that happen, the public isn't likely to complain.
But what if that doesn't occur?
What if, in a state agency where the agency head is paid more and more existing state workers are turned out of their jobs because of a change in the governorship, the problems and the inefficiencies increase?
In that case, what the legislature has actually done is create a trap for the next governor, one in which higher salaries and exempt jobs will be used to bludgeon the state's chief executive each time a specific agency problem receives public mention.
And those added exempt positions will invite plenty of scrutiny regarding whether they are being filled with more qualified managers who can get the job done or just turning state agencies into dumping grounds for political patrons and party hacks.
In politics, sometimes it is better to be more wary of your friends than your enemies.
Opinion
Related Photos
-
Scott Mooneyham
Discussion
Doing the governor a favor, or not
- Opinion
-
-
Editorial: Seizure of AP phone records insult to independent press
This amounts to spying on an American news organization -- common practice in dictatorships but scary conduct in a democratic system that prizes the public value of an independent watchdog press.
-
Google shuts down SMS search, angers people who had forgotten it existed
Instead of texting back search results, Google responds with a short message noting that the service "has been shutdown" (sic) and that you can continue to search the Web by visiting google.com (duh).
-
Walking by Faith
Last week I wrote about waiting on the Lord. I really needed to hear from the Lord, but all I was receiving was “wait.” I really don’t like to wait, but it is important to give God the opportunity to work things out before we proceed. After we wait on God, the next thing we are going to be asked to do is to walk by faith. That means that God is only going to reveal one step at a time, which is almost as much fun as “wait.”
-
Jettie Parker
Jettie Frick Parker, 89, of Albemarle died at 2 a.m. Friday, May 3, 2013, in Trinity Place, Albemarle.
-
Always Learning
I am teaching a class this semester that I haven’t taught in over a dozen years. Although I have taught it before, it still has a feeling of being new. The curriculum has been updated, and I must spend a good bit of time reviewing and preparing for the lesson each day. It doesn’t surprise me that often that I will come across something I didn’t know. The other day I made a big fuss about learning something new. The kids had a good time with that; their teacher learned something new.
-
West of Memphis: My Favorite Documentary Gets a New Partner
I saw “Paradise Lost: The Child Murders of Robin Hood Hills” when it played in theaters in 1996. At some point during the viewing, it became my favorite documentary. A position it has held for nearly 20 years. I own a copy of it, along with the two sequels “(Paradise Lost 2: Revelations” and “Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory).” Many know part of the story told in the films; it is a story that everyone should witness.
-
Childhood bullying linked to adult psychological disorders
A significant study from Duke provides the best evidence we’ve had thus far that bullying in childhood is linked to a higher risk of psychological disorders in adulthood. The results came as a surprise to the research team.
-
Saturday night with ‘The Rocketman’ Elton John
The Grateful Dead had its Deadheads.
Jimmy Buffett has his Parrotheads.
I guess Elton John has his … Eltonites? -
Spring Cleaning
Last week during spring break I spent a lot of time catching up on my sleep. My wife and I also worked on a number of different projects around the house. Today I headed back to work and can reflect back on a productive week around the house. While there are other things that we wished we could have gotten done, we both feel good about the progress we made around here.
-
Oz the Great and Powerful: A Prequel to a Classic
I am a fan of Sam Raimi, the director of “Oz the Great and Powerful.” Chances are you have seen some of his work, even if you did not realize it. He directed all three of the first “Spider-Man” series, the ones with Tobey MaGuire as Peter Parker/Spidey. In 2009, he directed one of my favorite horror movies of the last two decades: “Drag Me to Hell.” I know the title sounds strange, but it is one of the best PG-13 horror films ever. It was my choice in 2010 for my annual Scary Movie Night that happens the weekend before Halloween every year: all my guests were quite pleased with the selection.
- More Opinion Headlines
-
Editorial: Seizure of AP phone records insult to independent press
