AUSTIN, Texas (AP) _ A review of state employment records shows several new hires at the Texas Department of Agriculture with close ties to an assistant commissioner received speedy promotions and raises despite their short time with the agency.
The review by the Austin American-Statesman (http://atxne.ws/1NYbyeg ) shows a half-dozen workers followed Terry Keel earlier this year when he moved from the position of executive director of the Texas Facilities Commission to assistant agriculture commissioner.
Two of Keel’s former colleagues at the Facilities Commission earned double-digit percentage salary increases within weeks of moving to the Agriculture Department.
A department spokesman says the hiring met state and federal guidelines.
Keel himself filled one of four assistant commissioner positions created by Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller. Each position pays $180,000.
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AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – A Texas lawmaker is questioning double-digit raises for senior managers at the state’s top law enforcement agency because he says it refuses to provide statistics that would help determine the effectiveness of border operations.
The Dallas Morning News (http://bit.ly/1eTbWix ) reports that state Rep. Cesar Blanco, D-El Paso, is concerned there’s no way to measure whether the border tactics of the Texas Department of Public Safety are keeping the state safe.
The raises come as DPS significantly expands its presence on the border with Mexico.
Fifty-seven agency managers received raises that reached 17 percent. DPS Director Steve McCraw’s annual salary went from $183,498 to $214,672.
The Legislature this year granted many of the state’s rank-and-file employees a raise of 2.5 percent.