Is it really the time to grant a pay raise?
Last week, two commissioners appearing before the Senate Finance Committee, proposed a pay raise for their executive director, Duane Waddill, which would boost his annual salary from the current $98,000 to as much as $125,880. Some people don’t get it.  Remember, this is the agency, now under sunset review, that some legislators and many consumer advocates want to abolish because of complaints that it has been little more than a lap dog for home builders...“This agency is really a trap for homeowners. The reality of it is it’s a failure,” said Sen. Juan Hinojosa, D-McAllen.

COMMENTARY
Is it really the time to grant a pay raise?

By CLAY ROBISON
Copyright 2009 Houston Chronicle

The economy is in a dive. Texans are losing their jobs. Lawmakers don’t know what to do yet with the state’s budget, and the governor wants state agencies to cut back.

What I’m wondering, is anyone listening at the Texas Residential Construction Commission (TRCC)?

Last week, two commissioners appearing before the Senate Finance Committee, proposed a pay raise for their executive director, Duane Waddill, which would boost his annual salary from the current $98,000 to as much as $125,880.

Some people don’t get it.

Remember, this is the agency, now under sunset review, that some legislators and many consumer advocates want to abolish because of complaints that it has been little more than a lap dog for home builders.

The budget chutzpah didn’t do anything for its future.

In a letter to TRCC Chairman Paulo Flores, Sen. Glenn Hegar, R-Katy, said the request for a raise was “wholly inappropriate ... at a time when the commission should instead be focused on regaining public and legislative confidence.”

Like being more responsive to consumer complaints of shoddy workmanship, lawmakers said.

“This agency is really a trap for homeowners. The reality of it is it’s a failure,” said Sen. Juan Hinojosa, D-McAllen.

The Legislature created the TRCC in 2003 at the behest of home builders, including mega-political donor Bob Perry of Houston, ostensibly to improve building standards while offering builders protection from customer lawsuits.

The staff of the Sunset Advisory Commission recommended last year that the agency be abolished because it was doing consumers more harm than good. But the commission, several of whose legislator-members have received significant contributions from Bob Perry, reversed the staff and endorsed keeping the TRCC in business while strengthening consumer protections.

Hegar, one of the sunset members, said he wants to strengthen the TRCC’s enforcement powers and speed up the process for resolving disputes over workmanship so homeowners, if necessary, can get their complaints to court faster.

The governor also wants to see the TRCC continued but hasn’t taken a position on how it should or shouldn’t be changed, spokeswoman Allison Castle said.

You could call it the $720,000 question. That’s approximately the amount of money that Bob Perry has given to Rick Perry during the latter’s administration.

Waiting for a bill to pass

The Legislature is zero for 49.

Today is the 49th day of the 140-day session, and neither the House nor the Senate has passed any bills.

The multi-step legislative process is designed to limit what becomes law, and the early days of a session are restricted by the state constitution to emergency issues.

The Legislature used to routinely override that restriction but has been largely complying with it in recent years. Later this week, the Senate may pass its first bill, a measure designed to improve conditions at state schools for the mentally disabled. It was among several issues the governor declared emergencies on Feb. 3.

Emergency issues stemming from Hurricane Ike, also on the governor’s list, may take several more weeks, however, because they are tied to the time-consuming budgetary process.

It’s a good thing the Legislature doesn’t run the fire department, huh?

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