Andy Beshear calls Bevin administration member's $215,000 raise 'outrageous'

Kentucky Attorney General and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andy Beshear is criticizing Gov. Matt Bevin's pay raise for one of his administration members.

Beshear said Commonweath Office of Technology executive director Charles Grindle's $215,000 pay raise comes at a time when the Bevin administration has pushed for pension reform affecting retirements for state workers.

Grindle now makes $375,000 annually, which Beshear says is more than three cabinet secretaries combined.

"I think it is both outrageous and irresponsible to take this type of action, Beshear said, "Any claim they had to pay to be competitive, this is the same person who was previously working for a third of this."

The Kentucky Finance and Administration Cabinet, which houses the Commonwealth Office of Technology, says cost savings realized by Grindle's leadership cover the raise's cost.

The Courier-Journal reported the pay increase, and the newspaper was unable to receive a request for comment from Grindle or Bevin's administration.