Stephen Iannazzi Will Bravely Scrape by Without His (Second) 3% Raise

Why stay in college? Why go to night school?

Talking Heads, "Life During Wartime"

Late this afternoon, the ProJo's Kathy Gregg broke the latest development in the matter of the Senate Majority Leader's degree-less Special Assistant.

Stephen Iannazzi, the $88,112-a-year aide to Senate Majority Leader Dominick Ruggerio who became a focus of public ire over legislative staff raises, has turned down the latest 3-percent raise that went to most other state employees on July 1.

Senate President M. Teresa Paiva Weed's chief of staff sent an e-mail, conveying that information, to every member of the Senate Tuesday, after Iannazzi was described, in a Journal editorial, as the poster child for a political system "that seems designed to reward insiders and special interests.''

The author of that editorial is Ed Achorn, who helpfully pointed out today that Mr. Iannazzi was slated to make a cool $90,755 per annum - plus bennies of $4,352 - with this second-in-six-months 3% raise for state workers. Mr. Achorn also referenced an item that is undoubtedly completely unrelated to the circumstances of Mr. Iannazzi's pay and employment.

Could it be because Stephen is the son of Donald Iannazzi, business manager for Local 1033, the Laborers’ International Union affiliate that employs the senator’s own 30-year-old lawyer son, Charles Ruggerio? (Senator Ruggerio himself works for an arm of the Laborers’ union.)

However, with today's announcement, Mr. Iannazzi's salary will fall back to its post-first raise level of $88,112. How fortuitous then, that, in an e-mail appeal today, Travis Rowley and the RI Young Republicans had started a whip-round for young Mr. Iannazzi. All the more will it be needed now ...

Rowley, however, insists that 90,755 is still not enough. So the RI Young Republicans are organizing a charitable campaign for Iannazzi. "Stephen needs more of the taxpayers' money. It's that simple." Rowley continued, "Listen, it's our responsibility to take care of the most vulnerable in our community. When a neighbor is struggling, we should help him out." ... Interested Rhode Island taxpayers with any money left should contact the RI Young Republican offices.