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Comptroller Strayhorn Declines Raise After Perry Criticism
Lubbock, TX, Avalanche-Journal ^ | 07-07-05 | AP

Posted on 07/07/2005 3:34:42 AM PDT by Theodore R.

Strayhorn declines raise after Perry criticism ASSOCIATED PRESS

AUSTIN (AP) - Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn said she will not accept a $33,000 pay raise authorized by the Legislature even though her campaign indicated last week that she would accept it.

"Although Governor Rick Perry sanctioned pay increases for statewide elected officials when he approved the state budget, I do not believe it is appropriate for me to accept a penny more for the work I was elected to do," Strayhorn said Tuesday.

Strayhorn, a Republican, is challenging Perry in next year's gubernatorial race.

The Legislature had authorized seven statewide elected officials to find money in their agencies to boost their own salaries from $92,000 to $125,000. The governor's office was initially included in the Legislature's bid to give statewide lawmakers a raise, but Perry declined to be included.

Perry's campaign had criticized Strayhorn for planning to take the raise and uncovered Strayhorn campaign comments from 1997, when she became eligible for a raise while serving on the Railroad Commission, the Dallas Morning News reported last week.

At the time, she was quoted as saying that an election was a bond between herself and the people. "I knew what the terms were. And I say very strongly, if they have pay raises to hand out, it ought to be going to the teachers of this state," she had said.

Perry campaign manager Luis Saenz said that "it appears the only bond she cares about is one that she can take to the bank."

Strayhorn spokesman Mark Sanders said Tuesday that the holiday weekend gave Strayhorn a chance to study the situation and that she changed her mind.

"Her focus has been on her announcement (to run for governor) and dealing with Perry's horribly inept attempt to deal with the public school funding crisis," he said. "She looked at it over the weekend and called today to say she's not accepting it."

Saenz responded Tuesday: "Today Comptroller Strayhorn agreed that her record of miscalculation and political grandstanding does not merit a pay raise.

"Once her hand was caught in the taxpayers' cookie jar, and an old promise was exposed to the light of day, she flip-flopped to prevent further embarrassment," Saenz said.


TOPICS: Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: comptroller; governor; luissaenz; marksanders; perry; railroadcomm; republican; strayhorn; tx
Strayhorn, who prides herself on her offensive tactics, now looks defensive regarding a pay raise.
1 posted on 07/07/2005 3:34:44 AM PDT by Theodore R.
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