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Governor Patrick Defends Raises For DOT Managers

BOSTON (CBS) - Governor Patrick is defending some controversial raises for managers at the Department of Transportation.

A total of 17 managers have received raises, at an average 9-percent.

Transportation Secretary Jeffrey Mullan said their salaries rose as they took different positions or added responsibilities.

WBZ-TV's Jonathan Elias reports

Mullan says the raises are more than offset by more than $250,000 in salary savings from firings and resignations. And he points out the recent merger of several transportation agencies has saved the state $100 million.

When confronted by reporters, Governor Patrick was reluctant to speak on the matter saying, "There is no controversy."

He followed up by asking one of them, "Are you a reporter? If you were asked to be a camera person and a producer, you'd expect to be paid more too. We've saved $100 million."

WBZ-TV's Peg Rusconi reports

But Andrew Bagley of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation says the timing is bad.

"I think it's hard to justify given what's going on in the private sector and state agencies where everybody's picking up more responsibilities," said Bagley.

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