Governor Kasich Cuts $300,000 from Staff Payroll

Facing a predicted budget gap of over $8 Billion (Thanks Ted), Governor Kasich immediately lopped off $300,000 in office staff payroll.

This will hardly solve having a Grand Canyon size hole in our next state budget -- but it is a step in the right direction!

From the Columbus Dispatch --

Gov. John Kasich is paying some top staff members significantly more than their counterparts in the previous administration, but his total projected office payroll is about $300,000 lower with eight fewer workers, data released yesterday show.

Kasich's office provided the salaries of 43 people hired so far and salaries for 26 other positions it intends to fill, a total of 69 employees and a combined annual payroll of $4.5 million without benefits.

At the end of Gov. Ted Strickland's term, he had 77 staff members earning a combined $4.8million, Kasich's office said. That's nearly $300,000 more than Kasich said he intends to pay once his office is fully staffed. More...