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Today is Chip Rogers’ first day at GPB. It should be his last.

$150,000

This is the first number you’ll need to begin adding the total cost of what Gov. Nathan Deal spent to ease Chip Rogers’ hasty departure from the State Senate.

It’s a number that Gov. Deal must think is fair, but he hasn’t bothered to explain his mysterious reasons to voters who are paying the growing bill.

You see, Gov. Deal arranged the job for Chip.

Chip’s GPB salary is a huge raise from his $17,000 per year as a Senator. It’s nearly twice as much as any other executive producer at GPB.

In fact, $150,000 is enough to make Chip the second-highest paid employee at GPB. And his job is to produce a radio show, not run the station.

But this is a special job — it was never advertised.

And Chip has never worked a day as an executive producer for radio. His only previous broadcast experience was as a pitchman, nicknamed Will “The Winner” Rogers, for a sports gambling network.

But $150,000 marks the low-end of what Gov. Deal will pay to help Chip leave the Senate with a taxpayer-funded golden parachute.

Better Georgia has learned that Chip Rogers has also been given at least $300,000 in start-up costs for the new radio show, which will be paid with a mix of tax dollars and corporate gifts.

And then there’s the $500,000 cost of the special election the state paid for when Chip Rogers quit the Senate less than a month after winning the re-election.

Today is Chip Rogers’ first day on the job. And it should be his last.

Take 20 seconds right now to sign and share Better Georgia’s petition to tell Georgia Public Broadcasting to fire Chip Rogers today.

TIMELINE

Jan. 2010 until Jan. 2013: Gov. Deal cuts the Georgia Public Broadcasting budget by 14 percent

2012

Oct. 26: Gov. Deal calls GPB President Teya Ryan into his office to meet with Majority Leader Chip Rogers

Nov. 6: Sen. Rogers wins re-election

Nov. 13: Better Georgia releases Sen. Rogers’ conspiracy theory video

Nov. 15: Sen. Rogers fought for an hour and a half to keep his job as Senate Majority Leader. He lost the fight and withdrew his name from contention.

Dec. 4: Sen. Rogers announces he will quit the Senate to take a job at GPB. His role is unclear at the time. GPB can’t say what his title will be or what he will do.

2013

Jan. 18: GPB announces the $150,000 salary for Chip

Jan. 22: Chip starts his new job at GPB and begins drawing a $150,000 salary

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