Culver pay flap, in three parts

If you’ve been following this saga, here’s stage one. The Des Moines Register estimates the pay cut for Governor Chet Culver outlined in the budget documents filed yesterday amounts to 5.4 percent.

Here’s stage two.  Matt Strawn, chairman of the Republican Party of Iowa, issues a statement, suggesting Culver should keep his promise to cut his pay by 10 percent.

Here’s stage three.  John Frew, the governor’s new chief of staff, issues a statement, saying Culver’s total salary reduction will be $13,000.  He’ll cut a check (or checks) to the state treasury for $13,000 to return 10 percent of his total annual salary.  Read the entire statement below:

DES MOINES – Governor Chet Culver’s Chief of Staff, John Frew, issued the following statement to clarify that the Governor’s 10 percent salary reduction will apply to the entire fiscal year:

“I want to confirm that Governor Culver will take a 10 percent cut on his entire annual salary this year. His salary, as set by state law, is $130,000 and the 10 percent reduction will be $13,000, which the Governor will pay back to the State. This reduction is equal to a 14 percent salary cut over the remaining eight months of the fiscal year.

“The salaries for all department directors will be reduced by 10 percent but, unlike the Governor, will not be retroactive and therefore equal less than 10 percent for the entire fiscal year.

“The Governor made a commitment to a 10 percent cut in his own salary for the entire year, and I inadvertently calculated it the same way as the reductions to department directors.

“The final implementation plan on the Governor’s office budget cuts, which will be approved by the Department of Management next week, will include the full $13,000 reduction in his salary.”