Reality Check: Gov. Mark Dayton Faces Criticism For Cabinet Raises
ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) -- DFL Governor Mark Dayton is not backing down from criticism over huge pay hikes he gave his Cabinet.
He says Minnesota's top officials make less than other states. The two-term Democratic Governor says Minnesota's top officials are underpaid.
"I believe the issue is not larger or smaller government," Dayton said, announcing the pay hikes. "It is better or worse government, and my goal is to make government better."
According to an in-depth study by the Hay Group, before the pay hike, Minnesota Commissioners made a lot less than similar private sector jobs.
And less than Cabinet members in other states comparable in size to Minnesota. Those comparable states include Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, South Dakota, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
But now, at $154,900, Minnesota's top officials earn more than some of those states.
Even with hefty pay hikes. Minnesota department commissioners will still earn less than the highest paid local government workers in St. Louis Park, Edina, Woodbury, Minneapolis, Bloomington, Hennepin County and Eden Prairie.
Here are a few examples:
St. Louis Park Manager - $162,240
Edina Manager - $157,602
Woodbury Adminstrator - $157,227
Minneapolis Public Works - $156,997
Bloomington Public Works - $156,148
Hennepin County Transportation - $156,000
Eden Prairie Manager - $155,584
That doesn't make Gov. Dayton's $35,000 raises any more popular with the public. The raises alone are more than many Minnesotans make in a year.
We found 815,742 Minnesota households earn $30,000 a year or less. About 37,000 public workers only got a 2.5 percent pay hike this year. And 400,000 Minnesotans will get a $1 per hour raise when the minimum wage rises to $9 an hour.
Here are some of the sources with used for this Reality Check:
Minnesota Private Annual Income
May 2014 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates Minnesota
Minnesota Management & Budget Labor Relations
