State Transportation Cabinet hires wife of U.S. Rep. Ben Chandler
Jennifer and Ben Chandler
FRANKFORT — Despite declining revenue and deep budget cuts, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet created a $79,656-a-year management job this summer for Jennifer Chandler, the wife of U.S. Rep. Ben Chandler, D-Versailles.
Jennifer Chandler was recommended for the newly-created position of deputy executive director of the cabinet’s Office of Budget and Fiscal Management by Transportation Secretary Joseph Prather on July 10, according to documents obtained by the Herald-Leader through the state’s Open Records Act. Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear approved the appointment and Chandler began work on August 1.
Previously, Chandler was the executive director of the Office of State Grants in the Department for Local Government, a $75,862-a-year job she has had since February 2008.
Although Chandler’s personnel file states that her new job was created specifically for her, state transportation officials say the position is not new and that Chandler is needed to help an overtaxed department handle it’s growing responsibilities.
Two departments merged to create the Office of Budget and Fiscal Management, which now has 45 employees that manage the cabinet’s $2.4 billion budget, said Chuck Wolfe, a spokesman for the Transportation Cabinet. At one point, two people managed the separate departments.
The office’s director, Tammy Branham, also used to have a deputy director, but that position has remained vacant since June 16, 2008, Wolfe said.
The Transportation Cabinet has seen its budget nosedive over the past two years because of declining motor vehicle and gas tax revenues.
In June, transportation officials told a legislative panel that the cabinet must cut $239 million from its budget, including $59 million for state-funded road projects and $10 million for road maintenance.
Wolfe said Prather decided to hire Chandler despite the cuts to other parts of the transportation budget because Branham’s office was overwhelmed. It must track the $421 million in federal stimulus dollars that comes through the Transportation Cabinet.
“The budget office has carried an extraordinary load by virtue of not just managing the budget of the Transportation Cabinet in the wake of declining revenues in the road fund,” Wolfe said. “But it has also had a lot of work placed on it because of the reporting requirements to Congress and the Federal Highway Administration in the wake of the Federal Recovery Act, which has turned out to be an almost full-time exercise.”
Chandler, who held various positions in state government from 1987 to 2001, will take over personnel management and some of the fiscal policy in the department, leaving Branham to oversee the budget, Wolfe said.
- Beth Musgrave
About the Author: John Stamper is the accountability editor for the Lexington Herald-Leader. A native of Monticello, Ky., he has been with the Herald-Leader in a variety of roles since graduating from Western Kentucky University in 2000. Reach him at jstamper@herald-leader.com
unfair | Sep 21, 2009 | Reply
Shame on you Joe Prather and Steve Beshear.
unqualified | Sep 21, 2009 | Reply
So tell me why some of the folks just given a pink slip over at AOC could not do this work. Save the tax payers some unemployement benefits as well as keep a current government employee working.
Can you say scratch my back and I will scratch yours!
Rodney | Sep 21, 2009 | Reply
It’s time to vote Republican again. Don’t reward these thief’s with your vote.
Tom Brecker | Sep 21, 2009 | Reply
How about instead of just reporting and making ignorant comments we focus on if she is qualified for the position. If not, then make your crude comments on the appropriateness of her being hired.
Wake-up, this is government and networking has its perks.
If you want to be upset about the economy of Kentucky then you need to focus on the Legislature’s and their ineptness. We keep putting individuals in office who do not focus on tomorrows problems but instead focus on their own pocket-books either through special benefits, pay increases, out-of-state travel, poor legislation, and the worst political based decisions of any state.
There is a reason why we are one of the poorest states in the US, it comes from the poor, self-motivated decision makers employed in our local Senate and House.
jeffro | Sep 21, 2009 | Reply
They again and continue to over and over prove that you cannot fix stupid!!!
Bob | Sep 21, 2009 | Reply
If this job involved anyone else but Ben Chandler’s wife, would there even be a question about this hiring? I mean, she’s served previously as an executive director, has been working in state government for 22 years, and most recently was working with finances in state grants. This was a job that previously existed and has been vacant for a year. It sounds like she’s qualified, experienced, and doing something that needs doing.
hello? | Sep 21, 2009 | Reply
is she supervising her brother Russell Romine who worked in the same office?
shockie | Sep 21, 2009 | Reply
just more inbread kentucky political corruption
Musicman | Sep 21, 2009 | Reply
In February of 2008 we were also looking at a fiscal crisis in state government. Jennifer Chandler was given that job when lay offs and shortfalls were abundant. Now she gets a raise and a “newly created” position. None of this leaves a very good odor.
Shame Shame Shame
jerry | Sep 21, 2009 | Reply
Same old, same old, same old. Job vacant, or job created, which is it? It smells, to me. Does “various positions” mean that she can`t handle these jobs or does she have to move around a lot to get “more money”.
Buck Feshear | Sep 21, 2009 | Reply
Normally, when the Transportation Cabinet fills a high-level position, an e-mail is sent out to all KYTC employees about the appointment. Those e-mails usually include family information about the appointee, including the name of the spouse. When they sent the e-mail out about Mrs. Chandler, there was NO mention WHATSOEVER of her family or her husband. Almost like they were trying to hide it. Thankfully Prather will be gone at the end of the month, but in his place KYTC is getting a political prostitute in Mike Hancock. Two or three years ago, it would have taken a great deal of force to remove Hancock’s lips from the rear ends of Ernie Fletcher and Bill Nighbert. Now he gives them down the road and has his lips firmly fixed to the derrieres of Prather and Beshear.
Fitting that my anti-spam word is “Dan” as in Dan Chandler.
ErnPro | Sep 22, 2009 | Reply
My anti-spam word is “toast”. That’s just what Ben “cap ‘n tax” Pelosi will be after the next election. Maybe his wiffey will have him a new position all picked out when he leaves DC.
Woodford Woodie | Sep 22, 2009 | Reply
Jennifer and Ben make about a quarter million per year and great bennies on the public tit. Great work if you can get it, hey gang?
Jim Anderson Stivers | Sep 22, 2009 | Reply
Isn’t it apparent this was a Steve Beshear re eletion choice. Give Ben’s wife a good job and the people that support Ben will look favorable on donating to Beshear.
What a joke, and not exactly stealth.
I wonder why Chandler didn’t see the midgued judgement of this?
It easy . . . MONEY. MONEY, MONEY.
And so it goes.