Lawmaker Blasts Push for Pay Hike for Residential Construction Official
"Quite frankly, I was both surprised and disturbed that the board members of the Texas Residential Construction Commission would ask to increase Mr. Waddill’s salary at a time when the public and the legislature have lost confidence in the Commission to adequately protect those you are entrusted to serve Texas homeowners," Hegar wrote. As you are well aware, the Sunset Advisory Commission's staff recommended abolishment of the Commission.

Lawmaker Blasts Push for Pay Hike for Residential Construction Official

By Mike Hailey
Capitol Inside Editor

A Republican state senator has sharply criticized a pair of Texas Residential Construction Commission leaders for seeking a maximum boost in the executive director's salary at a time when the agency has been under fire from legislators amid complaints that it's failed to be an effective watchdog for homeowners across the state.

State Senator Glenn Hegar of Katy voiced his disapproval in a letter late last week to TRCC Chairman Paulo Flores, saying he was "highly disappointed" by the testimony that Commissioners Lewis Brown and Glenda Mariott presented at a Senate Finance Committee meeting when they made a pitch for a pay hike for the agency's top staff official.

Brown and Mariott had argued that Duane Waddill deserved to make more because he'd successfully put in place programs that the Legislature had ordered the agency to make two years ago even though he wasn't the top paid employee at the state agency.

Hegar, whose opinion is all the more critical in light of his position as the Sunset Advisory Commission's vice-chairman, suggested in the letter that the executive director's pay shouldn't be such a high priority for an agency that's under the gun to make a series of significant changes if it hopes to keep its doors open for business.

"Quite frankly, I was both surprised and disturbed that the board members of the Texas Residential Construction Commission would ask to increase Mr. Waddill’s salary at a time when the public and the legislature have lost confidence in the Commission to adequately protect those you are entrusted to serve Texas homeowners," Hegar wrote.

Hegar, a former House member who's served in the upper chamber since early 2007, pointed out that the Sunset staff had recommended that the TRCC be abolished before he and other Sunset comissioners voted to give the agency another four years to implement reforms that legislators have demanded as a condition for survival.

Hegar said it was "wholly inappropriate" for the commissioners to be pushing for a salary boost for the top agency employee when the TRCC should be focussed instead on "regaining public and legislative confidence."

The TRCC, which the Legislature created in 2003, has been criticized by lawmakers as an agency that's been soft on home builders while failing to endorce safeguards for homeowners. Some consumer groups have complained that the TRCC was created as a way to please Bob Perry, a Houston home builder who's been the number one contributor to
Republicans at the state and federal level in recent years.

"Instead of asking for salary increases for Mr. Waddill, I would strongly advise the Commission to focus on remedying its staffing shortfalls, improving its administration of the State-sponsored Inspection and Dispute Resolution Process, implementing steps to increase the number of disciplinary actions against "bad" builders, improving its customer service functions, and otherwise regaining the public's trust," Hegar said. "Increasing the executive director's salary was certainly not part of the Sunset Commission’s charge to your agency and it is my hope that you will rethink your colleagues' request." 
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Letter

February  26, 2009

Mr. Paulo Flores, Chairman
Texas Residential Construction Commission
Post Office Box 13509
Austin, Texas 78711-3509

Dear Chairman Flores:

I write today regarding the recent testimony of the Texas Residential Construction Commission's Executive Director, Duane Waddill, and its Commission members, Lewis Brown and Glenda Mariott, before the Senate Finance Committee. In their testimony, Commissioners Brown and Mariott requested that the legislature consider authorizing the maximum increase in Mr. Waddill's base salary. Both Mr. Brown and Ms. Mariott expressed to the Finance Committee members that Mr. Waddill is deserving of the increased compensation because he is not the Commission's highest wage earner and because he successfully implemented the Commission's programs required by last session's House Bill 1038.

Quite frankly, I was both surprised and disturbed that the board members of the Texas Residential Construction Commission would ask to increase Mr. Waddill’s salary at a time when the public and the legislature have lost confidence in the Commission to adequately protect those you are entrusted to serve -Texas homeowners.

As you are well aware, the Sunset Advisory Commission's staff recommended abolishment of the Commission. Although the members of the Sunset Advisory Commission, myself included, voted to grant a reprieve to the Commission and continue the agency for four years, albeit with significant changes in the way the Commission conducts its operations, I do not yet have a sense as to whether or not my colleagues in the Texas House and Senate will concur with the Sunset Advisory Commission's recommendations or if they will significantly alter them.

Regardless, I feel strongly that it was wholly inappropriate to request a salary increase for the Commission's executive director at a time when the Commission should instead be focused on regaining public and legislative confidence. The Commission has a long way to go before that goal can be accomplished.

Instead of asking for salary increases for Mr. Waddill, I would strongly advise the Commission to focus on remedying its staffing shortfalls, improving its administration of the State-sponsored Inspection and Dispute Resolution Process, implementing steps to increase the number of disciplinary actions against "bad" builders, improving its customer service functions, and otherwise regaining the public's trust. Increasing the executive director's salary was certainly not part of the Sunset Commission’s charge to your agency and it is my hope that you will rethink your colleague’s request.

As the Vice Chairman of the Sunset Advisory Commission, and the Senator who will carry the Sunset legislation dealing with the Commission, I was highly disappointed by Commissioners Brown and Mariott's testimony before the Senate Finance Committee and their rationale for requesting a salary increase for Mr. Waddill. The Commission should instead focus its attention on those budgetary items needed to improve the Commission’s operations and to restore the public’s trust. I sincerely hope that you agree.

Thank you for your attention to this matter and for your service to our state. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. As you and your colleagues work to regain the confidence of the people of Texas and of my colleagues in the Texas House and Senate, please know that my door is always open and that I look forward to working with you.

Sincerely,

Glenn Hegar
State Senator, District 18
Vice Chairman, Sunset Advisory Commission

cc: Commissioner Glenda Mariott, Vice Chair -College Station, Texas
Commissioner Lewis Brown, Secretary -Trinity, Texas
Commissioner Art Cuevas, -Lubbock, Texas
Commissioner Kenneth Davis, P.E. -Weatherford, Texas
Commissioner Gerardo "Jerry" Garcia, -Corpus Christi, Texas
Commissioner John Krugh, -Houston, Texas
Commissioner Steven Leipsner, -Lakeway, Texas
Commissioner Mickey Redwine, -Ben Wheeler, Texas
Duane Waddill, Executive Director
Governor Rick Perry
Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst
State Representative Carl Isett, Chairman, Sunset Advisory Commission
Members, Sunset Advisory Commission
State Senator Steve Ogden, Chairman, Senate Finance Committee
Members, Senate Finance Committee
State Senator Troy Fraser
State Representative Allan Ritter