Auditor General Will Give Back Raise

It's the season of giving as more Pennsylvania politicians decide to give back the Dec. 1 pay raise they received.

Auditor General Jack Wagner is also urging the Legislature to impose a two-year moratorium on cost-of-living increases.

Why stop at two years? How about a permanent ban on COLAs for "public servants"?

Here's the press release from Wagner's office:

HARRISBURG -- Saying it was a responsibility of the state's independent fiscal watchdog to speak out on important issues regarding the state budget, Auditor General Jack Wagner today called on the General Assembly to impose a 2-year moratorium on cost-of-living pay increases for state officials to help shrink Pennsylvania's widening budget deficit.

"I believe it's the fiscally prudent thing to do in these very difficult financial times," Wagner said.

Wagner said he would ask the General Assembly to make a two-year COLA freeze its first act of business when it returns to session in January. Employees of the legislative, judicial and executive branches received a 2.8 percent cost-of-living raise on Monday. Pennsylvania is facing a budget deficit of up to $2 billion for the 2008-09 fiscal year.

Regardless of the General Assembly's decision, Wagner said, he would give back his 2.8 percent raise by either writing a check to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or donating the money to a social services agency that is dependent on state funds.