No, not jobs for us - for them! Remember
a month or so ago when Shannon O'Brien accused Romney
of promising January jobs to his campaign flunkies?
Romney responded as though someone had called his
wife a horse. Don't kid yourself. There is an orgy
of state jobs to be doled out by the winner of the
November 5th election. Regardless of whether O'Brien
or Romney wins, virtually every agency head on this
organizational chart will "turn over."
And it's all legit, folks. To the victor go the spoils.
One thing I've learned in my 10 years as a state worker
is most Agency Heads are just interchangeable "P.R."
guys who don't get their hands dirty. (There are exceptions:
my old bosses Fred Laskey and Bernie Crowley at DOR
are two.) As the old saying goes, "Put them where
they can cause the least damage: management."
Don't cry for them, Argentina. If you ask anyone who
currently has a title of "Commissioner"
or "Director" where they'll be the day after
inauguration, they'll tell you where they won't be:
where they are now.
Linda Ruthardt? Buh-bye. Public Safety Secretary Jim
Jajuga? Buh-bye. Perhaps some will make the cut-Hinden
at the Registry? Glickman at Elder Affairs?-but for
the most part, Agency Heads are toast come January
2003.
Agency Heads aren't the only ones who'll be victims
of "the short haircut." Show me any Manager
over M-5 and I'll show you someone who serves "at
the pleasure of the Governor." Of the 3,100 state
managers, I'd bet 2,500 are M-5 or above. The beauty
of these firings is that no reason needs to be given.
[This M-5 exposure is unsettling to some. There is
an art to burying oneself deep into an org chart.
Chances are if you don't occupy a "box"
on the chart, you have a shot at survival. "Burying
a body" is the term used for hiding a high profile
wonk.]
But what about Civil Service? Won't Civil Service
spare people's jobs and keep things on the up-and-up,Todd?
Here's a little secret: there ain't any Civil Service.
Civil Service died the day Weld took office and stripped
the agency of virtually all their funding. Grievances
are about the only thing they do now. Civil Service
tests? Pulleeze! The last Tax xaminer test given by
Civil Service was in 1994. About the only jobs that
remain Civil Service are those for firefighters and
cops.
So, please, if a Romney or O'Brien paid staffer is
a little short with in the days leading to November
5th, give them a break. There's a Hell of a lot riding
on election night. Lots of good jobs at good wages.
