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Govt seeks over-the-cap pay for appointee
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Posted on Feb 26 2006
The Fitial administration is seeking a waiver of the salary ceiling for senior policy adviser and interim Public Lands Secretary John Del Rosario, despite a promise that none of governor’s appointees will be paid over the salary cap.
The request was signed by then acting Gov. Timothy P. Villagomez and submitted to the Upper House on Feb. 14, 2006. It is now awaiting Senate action.
According to press secretary Charles P. Reyes Jr., the administration wants to increase Del Rosario’s salary from the $50,000 salary ceiling to $54,000.
Reyes justified the pay hike request, saying that Del Rosario now serves in two capacities.
“He is not only the governor’s senior policy adviser, but also the interim secretary of the Department of Public Lands. That is a great responsibility. Public Lands is undergoing a very difficult transition period right now,” he said.
Reyes added that Del Rosario is a private businessman and government service is taking him away from his business.
The press secretary also noted that the current administration is following the lawful process in seeking an over-the-cap salary for Del Rosario.
“It’s open and transparent. Unlike the previous administration, we are not automatically giving somebody over-the-cap salary. We are following the legal way of doing this,” Reyes said.
Furthermore, he said that granting the waiver remained at the discretion of the Senate.
“The Senate will make the decision. They can reject the request if they feel that it’s not justified,” he said.
The Senate is led by a six-member majority composed of the governor’s fellow Covenant Party members and their allies.
