HARRISBURG -- Despite his call to drastically slash budgets to deal with a worsening economic recession, Gov. Ed Rendell is paying $100,000 to a Philadelphia political strategist and media consultant to help him with publicity.

The administration has hired Ken Snyder on a monthly retainer of $9,090 between now and Jan. 31 for part-time work, or a minimum of 30 hours a week. Mr. Snyder will assist Mr. Rendell's Communications Office in the Capitol with media strategy, with a focus on helping provide information about the billions of dollars in federal stimulus aid coming to Pennsylvania.

Top administration officials yesterday defended the expenditure. They said it was necessary to explain to Pennsylvanians exactly what the stimulus money will fund and how it can help them weather the economic downturn.

"We need to get our message out there to people who can avail themselves of this stimulus money, whether they need it for weatherization projects, road repair, food stamps or child care services," said Greg Fajt, Mr. Rendell's chief of staff.

Harrisburg activist Eric Epstein said he doesn't buy it.

"When you put the stimulus money out there, it's like red meat to an anorexic shark," said Mr. Epstein, founder of RockTheCapital.org. "You don't have to hire a person to shed light on a feeding frenzy."

The governor has, over the last six months, called on every state agency and department, including his own office, to cut their budgets by 4.25 percent to help close a $2.3 billion deficit in the current budget.

He has also frozen wages of about 13,000 nonunion state employees, imposed an administration-wide hiring freeze and said he cannot rule out layoffs or furloughs.

Why not just use the governor's official Communications Office for the job?

"They are down in body count," said Mr. Fajt, adding that the people who remain are "working their tail off."

The contract with Mr. Snyder, which officially began Feb. 17, was awarded through another public relations firm.

Mr. Snyder is considered a "sub-contractor" to the Neiman Group, which has an existing contract with the administration to provide "marketing and communications support."

Mr. Snyder said in an interview that he will bill the Neiman Group, which in turn will charge the state for his services. He said his hourly rate will be about $65 per hour, or half the Neiman Group's rate.

Even with the payments to Mr. Snyder, administration officials said yesterday that Mr. Rendell has reduced his office's budget by more than 4.25 percent, as well as cut payroll.

Mr. Snyder, 43, has a long resume, having done public relations and political campaign work for high-profile public officials, including Mr. Rendell and former state Sen. Vincent J. Fumo.

"I am fulfilling a legitimate need for a limited period of time," said Mr. Snyder, adding that he is "an economic way to fill a void" in the Governor's Office.

Plus, when the governor calls for your help, "you don't say no," said Mr. Snyder.