ST. PAUL — Gov. Mark Dayton on Wednesday dismissed legislative Republicans’ stinging criticism over his raises for agency commissioners as being done out of revenge.

Dayton lashed out over the GOP’s attention to recently announced raises, which were authorized by lawmakers in 2013 but not put in place until he began a second term in January.

“If this is their revenge for my getting re-elected over their candidate by 100,000 votes, they’ll keep bashing,” he said.

Dayton gave substantial raises — more than $30,000 in a few cases — while defending the new executive salaries as more financially competitive with upper-management posts in local government and the private sector. Republicans want Dayton to appear at a public hearing to answer for the raises, but he has declined. He instead invited legislators to discuss it in a less-formal setting.

The Democratic governor said he considers the raise issue a distraction from other matters before the Legislature. He argues Republicans also have awarded staff raises, and notes many local officials earn well more than state-level agency heads.

On Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk, a Democrat from Cook, said he was concerned about the size of the raises.

“I share the concern to retain and recruit exceptional talent for our state workforce,” Bakk said in a statement.  “While these increases may be warranted, I would prefer an incremental and measured implementation.”

House State Government Finance Committee Chairwoman Sarah Anderson, a Plymouth Republican, renewed her request Wednesday for Dayton to appear at an upcoming hearing.

“As I stated, many Minnesotans have expressed concerns over your commissioners’ pay raises and this would be a chance for the Legislature and public to better understand your reasoning,” she wrote.

Governors seldom go before legislative committees. Dayton said legislative backlash over the raises wasn’t sufficient justification for him to appear.

“If I appeared before a legislative hearing any time a legislator disagreed with something I did, I’d be at a lot of hearings,” Dayton said.