Not only are Pennsylvania taxpayers stuck funding the most expensive full-time state legislature in the country, but they must also cough up more money each year to give the 253 state lawmakers a pay raise. Do the lawmakers deserve more money? It doesn't matter. The Legislature passed a bill granting its members automatic pay raises every year - unless they vote to reject the additional pay. That has never happened. So dig deeper taxpayers. Those overpaid lawmakers want more.
From WITF:
State lawmakers will get an automatic pay raise: Automatic pay raises have caused controversy in the past. When lawmakers return to the Capitol after their Thanksgiving recess, they'll have a little extra cash waiting for them. Every year, salaries for elected officials are reevaluated based on the cost of living. The number varies--this year, it's .81 percent, which means the average salary for a lawmaker will increase by about $700, from $86,480 dollars to $87,180. Those in leadership positions make even more. The top salaries hover around almost $140,000. The yearly pay adjustment became fully automatic in 1995. But because automated pay raises can be unpopular, some opt to donate the extra cash, or feed it back to the state Treasury. Pennsylvania's lawmakers are the second-highest-paid in the country, behind only California....
No comments:
Post a Comment