Lawmakers Question Surra Hiring
Some GOP lawmakers are questioning the hiring of former state representative Dan Surra for a newly created $95,000 a year job after Governor Rendell imposed a hiring freeze.
Surra, who was on the House Democratic leadership team before he was defeated by Matt Gabler in the general election, started work on Monday as an adviser to the Pennsylvania Wilds.
Six Republican House members have written to Rendell saying his double standard and favoritism toward friends is out of touch with the realities facing most Pennsylvanians.
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Here's the letter:
Dear Governor Rendell,
You implemented a statewide pay and hiring freeze to combat a mounting state budget deficit. This policy is adversely affecting many of our constituents, yet we understood and supported your various efforts to decrease state spending.
Bluntly, we are troubled by the recent news that you have hired former House Democrat leader Dan Surra to fill an apparently specially-created, $95,000-plus-per-year job with the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR). We feel this is truly an egregious slap in the face to hard-working Pennsylvanians across this Commonwealth.
If the creation of this special job wasn’t shocking and appalling enough, you created it at a time when, according to a DCNR spokeswoman, the department has left 11 positions, including park ranger jobs, unfilled since the hiring freeze was announced in September. This is in addition to the fact that this particular department, in order to cut costs, decided to discontinue posting lifeguards at state park swimming areas.
We do have several questions for which the people of Pennsylvania deserve to receive answers:
· Can you assure the people of Pennsylvania without hesitation that the $95,000 being spent on the former House Democrat leader’s annual salary will better serve their needs than if this money had been spent on any of the programs or services that you cut in September and December?
· Was the job for which the former House Democrat leader hired publicly posted?
· Did more than one person apply for the position and, if so, were there any more qualified candidates available?
· At what point did you realize this position was so critical to the needs of Pennsylvania?
· Can you explain to the people of Pennsylvania why the hiring of the former House Democrat leader will be more advantageous to them than the filling of any of the 11 previously existing jobs, including the currently vacant park ranger positions?
As public servants, we must be willing and able to explain our actions and motives to the people we are elected to serve. Your recent personnel decisions, considered in the context of the state’s budgetary situation and the overall economic circumstances facing working families, raise many questions, issues and concerns.
In light of these concerns and the state’s precarious budget situation, we are requesting the hiring of Mr. Surra be rescinded immediately.
In the spirit of openness and full disclosure, we – and the people we are elected to represent – anxiously await your response to this letter.
Sincerely,
Rep. Ron Marsico
105th Legislative District
Rep. Glen Grell
87th Legislative District
Rep. Sheryl M. Delozier
88th Legislative District
Rep. Mauree Gingrich
101st Legislative District
Rep. Sue Helm
104th Legislative District
Rep. Will Gabig
199th Legislative District
Surra, who was on the House Democratic leadership team before he was defeated by Matt Gabler in the general election, started work on Monday as an adviser to the Pennsylvania Wilds.
Six Republican House members have written to Rendell saying his double standard and favoritism toward friends is out of touch with the realities facing most Pennsylvanians.
~~
Here's the letter:
Dear Governor Rendell,
You implemented a statewide pay and hiring freeze to combat a mounting state budget deficit. This policy is adversely affecting many of our constituents, yet we understood and supported your various efforts to decrease state spending.
Bluntly, we are troubled by the recent news that you have hired former House Democrat leader Dan Surra to fill an apparently specially-created, $95,000-plus-per-year job with the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR). We feel this is truly an egregious slap in the face to hard-working Pennsylvanians across this Commonwealth.
If the creation of this special job wasn’t shocking and appalling enough, you created it at a time when, according to a DCNR spokeswoman, the department has left 11 positions, including park ranger jobs, unfilled since the hiring freeze was announced in September. This is in addition to the fact that this particular department, in order to cut costs, decided to discontinue posting lifeguards at state park swimming areas.
We do have several questions for which the people of Pennsylvania deserve to receive answers:
· Can you assure the people of Pennsylvania without hesitation that the $95,000 being spent on the former House Democrat leader’s annual salary will better serve their needs than if this money had been spent on any of the programs or services that you cut in September and December?
· Was the job for which the former House Democrat leader hired publicly posted?
· Did more than one person apply for the position and, if so, were there any more qualified candidates available?
· At what point did you realize this position was so critical to the needs of Pennsylvania?
· Can you explain to the people of Pennsylvania why the hiring of the former House Democrat leader will be more advantageous to them than the filling of any of the 11 previously existing jobs, including the currently vacant park ranger positions?
As public servants, we must be willing and able to explain our actions and motives to the people we are elected to serve. Your recent personnel decisions, considered in the context of the state’s budgetary situation and the overall economic circumstances facing working families, raise many questions, issues and concerns.
In light of these concerns and the state’s precarious budget situation, we are requesting the hiring of Mr. Surra be rescinded immediately.
In the spirit of openness and full disclosure, we – and the people we are elected to represent – anxiously await your response to this letter.
Sincerely,
Rep. Ron Marsico
105th Legislative District
Rep. Glen Grell
87th Legislative District
Rep. Sheryl M. Delozier
88th Legislative District
Rep. Mauree Gingrich
101st Legislative District
Rep. Sue Helm
104th Legislative District
Rep. Will Gabig
199th Legislative District
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