The Louisville Courier-Journal’s Tom Loftus is reporting that Gov. Matt Bevin has appointed former state Rep. Tom Kerr as chief of staff for the state Justice and Public Safety Cabinet.
Kerr, a Republican and an attorney from Taylor Mill, quietly resigned his seat in the Kentucky House on Sept. 16. He had served in the House since 1985, but decided early this year not to seek re-election in 2016.
Kerr began his new job in the Bevin administration Monday. He said his salary is $110,000 per year.
Tom Kerr
Kerr said he and Justice Cabinet Secretary John Tilley, also a former state representative, formed a friendship and working relationship as fellow members of the House Judiciary Committee. But he said they had no discussions about the new job until Tilley approached him in recent weeks after Kerr resigned from the House.
“I’m excited about the opportunity to work with Secretary Tilley, work with Justice, and still be working with state government in policymaking,” Kerr said.
Kerr said the move will not enhance his state pension. A controversial state law can allow veteran lawmakers who leave the legislature to take high-paying jobs in other branches of government to hugely enhance their pension benefits because of their new high salaries.
But Kerr said that when he retired as a legislator last month he filed for his pension based on his legislative salary and years of service, so that law will not apply to him. He also said that he believes that Bevin has a policy of not appointing former legislators to his administration if they use that law to boost spike their pension benefits.
From The Courier-Journal
