In a published interview last week, Governor Carcieri’s communication director, Steve Kass, was quoted as saying there are already enough people in government to study what the state is getting out of the millions of dollars in tax breaks it has awarded over the years.

He said the governor has “no intention” of filling any new tax analyst jobs.

Going a step farther in the interview, published by the Warwick Beacon, Kass said: “Why doesn’t the General Assembly have some of their budget people, who work six months of the year, study them … instead of going out there improving their golf handicaps?”

The interview was published on the same day Carcieri named Gary S. Sasse, the longtime director of the business-backed Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council, as the first, $130,000-a-year director of the new state Department of Revenue. The agency, created by lawmakers in 2006, wraps together the Lottery, Registry and Division of Taxation with new offices of property valuation and revenue analysis.

One of the principal missions of the new revenue-analysis office is to evaluate the cost and effectiveness of the many tax breaks the General Assembly has awarded targeted groups over the years in an effort to keep wealthy “decision-makers” from moving out of state, for example, or spur job production, historic preservation, TV and movie filming and the siting of businesses in poor neighborhoods that for special-benefit purposes are called “enterprise zones.”

And Sasse — with the governor’s backing — said he was actively recruiting staff to help him do just this kind of tax-incentive and revenue analysis.

So where was Kass coming from?

Kass did not respond directly to inquiries about who specifically he had in mind when he talked about General Assembly employees spending half their year playing golf. Nor did he respond to questions about when he learned of Carcieri’s commitment to hiring a director and staff for the new agency.

But Carcieri spokesman Jeff Neal, who works under Kass, a former radio talk show host, said: “Mr. Kass believed he was responding to a more general question about the efficacy of tax breaks that are approved by the General Assembly.”

“I would note that, while we have selected Gary Sasse as the new director of the Department of Revenue, we have not yet selected a person to head that specific office. However, I know that Mr. Sasse has already begun that process and plans to vigorously study all these tax issues.”

Among the follow-up questions posed by Political Scene: “Is the administration committed to hiring a director and staff for the revenue analysis division — or not? Was he [Kass] perhaps confused about — or opposed to — the administration’s intent to pursue these hirings in the broader context of layoffs?”

Neal’s answer: “As I stated … and as I believe Mr. Sasse informed you, Mr. Sasse has already begun the process of hiring for that.”

Needless to say, House Finance Committee Chairman Steven Costantino, D-Providence, was not happy. Calling Kass’ comment about golf “an unfair statement,” he said, “I know that, particularly in the House Finance Committee, dedicated public servants spend more time in this building some nights than they do in their own homes.”

As for Carcieri’s hiring of a new $130,000 director and staff amid looming layoffs, Costantino said: ‘You’ve made a small investment by adding these. If in the long run they are able to maximize our revenue, it will be worth the investment.”

Pricey transcripts

A Senate committee has paid nearly $10,000 to a private company for transcripts of hearings on the use of private contract employees.

The Government Oversight Committee held seven hearings between Feb. 28 and June 4 on the Carcieri administration’s use of contract employees.

The high-profile meetings, held at the peak of the Smart Staffing controversy, were videotaped, but committee Chairman J. Michael Lenihan, D-East Greenwich, decided afterward that transcripts were required to produce a detailed report on the issue, which is set to be released as early as next month.

Transcripts are more expensive when taken from a video recording, according to the Joint Committee on Legislative Services, which controls General Assembly spending. A note on each of the invoices notes that “due to the difficulty and promptness prices are as follows …”

The total cost of the seven transcripts was $9,788.50. The most expensive transcript was for the May 14 hearing, which alone cost $3,252.25.

“Originally we weren’t going to do transcripts because we had it all on tape,” Lenihan told Political Scene. “But based on the fact that we’re making specific recommendations … we wanted exact testimony to refer to.”

He continued: “To my knowledge, the state doesn’t employ people who are transcribers. It was the best option available to us.”

It should be noted that while Lenihan has been critical of the use or extended use of some contract positions, he has maintained there are appropriate uses.

“My position is there’s nothing wrong with having a provision for temporary workers. How that’s exercised, however, is something that’s been left a little too free-floating,” he said earlier in the month.

Mollis gauges popularity of Saturday elections

The secretary of state’s office had a particular interest in Saturday’s nonbinding referendum on expanding gambling operations in Lincoln.

No, the office isn’t planning an all-night slot session to build office unity. Secretary of State A. Ralph Mollis is considering expanding the use of Saturday elections as part of an election reform package he will introduce in the coming session.

His office had several volunteers at Lincoln’s four polling places on Saturday to gauge the public’s feelings on Saturday voting.

The moderator at Lincoln Middle School, Eleanore Kelley, told Political Scene that people generally liked it. “Nobody’s rushing here from work,” she said as the voters poured through the door Saturday afternoon. Turnout was considered heavy for an off-year non-binding referendum with no candidates on the ballot.

What else is Mollis considering in his 2008 legislative package?

Spokesman Chris Barnett says legislation may include requiring photo identification and expanding the 50-foot “no-canvassing” zoning around at polling places that is off-limits to campaign workers.

Improvements are critical, Barnett said, noting that less than half of Rhode Island’s 677,000 registered voters participated in the 2006 elections.

GOP chief takes pass on Democrats’ fundraiser

Rhode Island Democrats will hold a $75-per-person fundraiser tomorrow night at the Roger Williams Park Casino in Providence.

The “Democratic Unity Event” is sponsored by top party leaders including U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, Lt. Gov. Elizabeth Roberts, Congressmen James R. Langevin and Patrick Kennedy and all of the party’s Assembly leaders and statewide office holders.

Because of a glitch in the party’s computer list, invitations for the event were sent by e-mail to Republican State Chairman Giovanni Cicione and James Rosati, who was Governor’s Carcieri’s top political fundraiser.

“I’m glad they are open to all points of view,” quipped Cicione, when contacted last week. “I think it is about time they get some unity.”

Holly Meyer, fundraising consultant to the Democratic Party, said the invites to Cicione and Rosati were inadvertent. “That wasn’t a good list,” said Meyer. “We’ve since cleaned up the list.”

Proceeds from the fundraiser will be spent on Democratic organizational events in the run-up to the 2008 elections.

R.I. Young Dems elect

Andy Andujar, 28, an aide to Providence Mayor David Cicilline, was elected late last month to serve a two-year term as president of the Rhode Island Young Democrats. Andujar succeeds the baby-faced Paul Tencher, 27, Lieutenant Governor Roberts’ chief of staff, who was played by an 11-year-old boy in last year’s Providence Newspaper Guild Follies when Roberts was the Mystery Guest.

“Our immediate goals are to build our volunteer base and to raise money so that we can continue motivating young people to get involved in the political process,” Andujar said in a statement.

Also elected to the board at the Young Dems’ elections, held at the popular Providence pub, the Wild Colonial Tavern: Matthew Jerzyk, 30, editor of the Democratic blog RIFuture.org; vice president; Kim Ahern, 24, a Roger Williams University law student and student coordinator for Sen. Barack Obama’s Rhode Island presidential campaign, secretary; Coventry Town Councilman Anthony Colaluca, 24, treasurer; and Eli Zupnick, 24, a policy analyst for Roberts, political director.

The national committee man and committee woman are Julian Dash, 29, president of the Rhode Island Black PAC, and Larkin Barker, 23, press secretary for Roberts.

smackay@projo.com