Gov. Rick Scott said Wednesday that top executives at Citizens Property Insurance who received “outrageous” raises should give them back, leading the company to say it may revise its payroll.
Scott made the remark in an interview with the Miami Herald/Tampa Bay Times for a story published Wednesday.
A Citizens spokesperson then told the Herald/Times for the same story that the company would “revisit” its latest compensation plan, which was approved by the state-backed insurer’s board, and make “a revised recommendation at the March meeting,” of the board.
“First off, they have these outrageous pay raises,” Scott told the Times/Herald. “They ought to give that back. Those ought to go back.”
Scott also told the papers that he wasn’t told about the pay raises, which were as large as $31,000.
Citizens Board Chairman Carlos Lacasa said in an opinion piece published Wednesday in the Bradenton Herald that the raises were warranted because of increased responsibilities and because the new salaries more closely matched similar private sector salaries. The raises for top executives were approved by new President Barry Gilway, though his salary didn’t increase.
