The Augusta-Richmond County Commission almost simultaneously voted to grant appointed Tax Commissioner Chris Johnson’s salary of $133,708, then accepted his resignation as Deputy Tax Chief and granted him six month’s severance pay at Wednesday’s meeting.
The vote was unanimous. Johnson was appointed to tax commissioner after the resignation of Steven Kendrick who is running for mayor of Augusta.
Promoted to a new job at higher pay I presume. And given severance pay? Within the same organization? Am I reading that correctly?
Wish I had a do-over on my careers. I would have applied for a position with Augusta, and then resigned and rehired multiple times. I have 51 years of W-2s for multiple occupations and employers and I never received severance pay when I resigned, nor did any of my co-workers. This action on the part of Kendrick, Johnson, and the commissioners is criminal. How could Clarke and McKnight vote for this? They lost my respect on this one.
Appears that another swindle went down today at the palace.
Unbelievable. All the more reason not to vote for Kendrick, who was instrumental in this scam of taxpayer money. Severance pay needs to be rethought –
Explain to me why an audit cannot be afforded?
Seriously? Severance pay for leaving a job for a step up in the same organization? The vote was unanimous?
Who actually brought up the idea to pay the severance?
Again! Another big crooked Augusta Commission action against the citizens of Augusta. Just how can you continue to take this time after time, some of you connected good citizens need to get the State Government involved with an audit and takeover from these crooks.
Just plain stupidity!!
Severance pay for what reason?
How do you get severance pay when your paycheck doesn’t stop? Yes, they can use our tax dollars on these kind of shenanigans, but auditing where the money is going? Not a chance.
This is sickening and reeks of more corruption in Augusta..I’d advise you to move while real estate values are high..
“Really”? I’m going to play like I didn’t read this and just move on.
No wonder he is smiling
To the staff reporter for theaugustapress, my question asking who brought up or made the motion to pay a severance was not rhetorical. Thank you in advance.
Scott Hudson is doing a follow-up story for tomorrow’s The Augusta Press with an interview from Chris Johnson.