$2M in Braun's Office Salaries Bankrolled by Other State Agencies

INDIANAPOLIS — More than half of the 30-plus state employees reporting to Gov. Mike Braun’s office are paid by other state agencies, according to an Indiana Capital Chronicle review of State Personnel Department records and the Indiana Transparency Portal.

Of the roughly $3.9 million spent on pay for the 33 employees identified, other agencies funded nearly $2.3 million — or 58% of the cost.

Critics fear the arrangement creates confusion and conflicts. Braun’s administration, however, says it is simply continuing an established practice.

“The Governor’s Office does work that spans across all agencies,” spokesman Griffin Reid said in a statement to the Capital Chronicle. “Rather than assess agencies a fee or charge back for this, like SPD or (the Indiana Office of Technology) do, the historical practice has been for certain staff within the Governor’s Office to be paid directly by the agencies themselves.”

“This is a practice that has gone back decades (and) is well known within the Statehouse,” he added.

Reid, for instance, is paid by the Family and Social Services Administration, along with Health and Family Services Secretary Gloria Sachdev.

Previous administrations had operations directors based in the governor’s office that worked with other agencies — and who were paid by one of them.

Braun’s administration eliminated those positions in its reorganization of state government, but has continued the practice of assigning head count to those other agencies, according to the governor’s office.

The office’s annual budget is $3.2 million — down from $3.39 million in the prior two-year spending plan, after Braun instituted mandatory cuts.

“It’s all very confusing to me,” said outspoken skeptic Rep. Ed DeLaney, D-Indianapolis. “I think the governor needs to get a nice, clear line of communication from top to bottom. He has way too many … layers of authority, and now he’s confused their wallets.”

The Bureau of Motor Vehicles pays Ava Hassel, an executive assistant to Chief of Staff Josh Kelley, and spokeswoman Megan Smaltz. The latter earns the third-highest salary in the BMV, and about $20,000 more annually than BMV spokesman Greg Dunn.

“Across various agencies, the title of a position may be the same, but the work duties and level of responsibility may vary significantly,” Reid said.

The Indiana Department of Transportation, meanwhile, compensates Senior Policy Adviser Adam Battalio — who, at $180,000, makes more than INDOT Commissioner Lyndsay Quist’s $175,000.

“I can’t make much sense on the different rates of pay,” DeLaney said. “Adam Krupp seems to be doing pretty well, and his job seems to stand out above everybody else.”

Krupp previously directed the Department of Child Services. He was hospitalized in January for an undisclosed medical event and spent more than three months out on medical leave before returning in April as a special adviser to the governor.

He has continued to earn a $210,000 salary — paid by DCS — in the new role, which the governor’s office previously confirmed was created specifically for him. His pay is the highest in DCS, matching new Director Jennifer Dorfmeyer.

DCS also pays governor’s office Deputy General Counsel Philip Lashutka.

Another special adviser role was added for former Commerce Secretary David Adams, who is on a six-month, $90,000 contract — paid by the Indiana Economic Development Corp. — to complete the next phase of the $1 billion life sciences initiative Braun announced this spring.

Other agencies in the mix include the departments for administration, education, environmental management, health, natural resources, state personnel and veterans.

So is the embattled Public Access Counselor’s Office, which has only put one advisory opinion online since January. Counselor Jennifer Ruby has faced a daunting workload and frustrated Hoosiers since Braun appointed her to the position last spring.

Ruby is one of just three employees for the PAC office, to which lawmakers gave $339,000 annually in the last two-year budget. Governor’s office Deputy General Counsel Trent Bennett earns nearly a third of the $317,000 spent on salaries.

“I want to know that they’re not losing one of their three people in order to do something to make the governor happy, whatever that might be,” DeLaney said.

“As a citizen, I’d like to know that (an agency) was being well-run, well-managed, the personnel are funded,” he said. “… I’d like to think that we’re ready to serve our people.”

The governor’s office declined to answer questions related to the PAC office.