Georgia lawmakers reject pay raise plan for themselves
ATLANTA - Efforts to raise pay for Georgia lawmakers and statewide officials died Monday after the Senate rejected the plan and the House failed to take up a similar bill.
The Senate voted 33-20 to reject Senate Bill 252, with Republicans saying lawmakers didn’t need a raise.
"I do think that our salaries are too low, but I do think that moving us to a salary that is in line with full-time Georgians is not reflective of the work that we do in three months at the Capitol," said Sen. Greg Dolezal, a Republican from Cumming.
The House could have taken up a similar measure, House Bill 675, but did not, even though Republican House Speaker David Ralston had voiced support for pay raises last week.
Base pay for the 180 House members and 56 senators would have risen from $16,200 a year to $29,908.
Lawmaker pay hasn’t changed since 1999, according to the State Compensation Commission. Consumer prices have risen 59% since then, according to federal figures.
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"I’ve not had a raise in 20 years, and it’s time for us to move the meter," said Sen. Valencia Seay, an Atlanta Democrat.
Those who support pay raises say many people can’t afford to seek election because of low pay, and that what is supposed to be a part-time job eats up a lot of time even when lawmakers aren’t in Atlanta.
Last year, lawmakers and the lieutenant governor actually took a 14% pay cut, agreeing to reduce their salaries because of state budget cuts.
Rep. Wes Cantrell, the Woodstock Republican sponsoring the House measure, said the increases would cost about $3.2 million a year.
The House proposal would have indexed legislative pay and expense payments to inflation, while the Senate plan did not. Lawmakers can claim up to $7,000 in expenses each year in addition to per diem.
The lieutenant governor’s salary would have risen from $91,609 to $135,000, while the House speaker’s salary would have risen from about $99,000 to $135,000. The House speaker pro tem and Senate president pro tem would have gotten an extra $6,000 a year over regular legislative salaries.
Under the proposal, the governor’s salary would have remained $175,000 per year, and state Supreme Court justices wouldn’t have gotten raises. But all other statewide officers would have gotten the following raises recommended by the State Compensation Commission:
- Attorney General: $139,168 to $165,6111.
- Secretary of State: $123,640 to $147,128.
- Agriculture Commissioner: $123,998 to $144,653.
- Insurance Commissioner: $120,394 to $143,269.
- Labor Commissioner: $122,786 to $146,115.
- State School Superintendent: $123,270 to $146,691.
- Public Service Commissioners: $121,757 to $138,974.
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