Politics & Government

Elected State Officials Get A Pay Raise: Do You Think It's Warranted?

State legislators and other top elected officials got a pay raise on Wednesday.

The California Citizens Compensation Commission voted 5-1 to raise the salaries of the governor, lieutenant governor, state senators, Assembly members and other officials by 5 percent, according to an article in the Sacramento Bee.

The pay hike partially replaces the 22 percent in cuts to salaries the compensation commission made during the past four years of California's budget crisis.

Legislators' salaries will rise from $90,526 a year to $95,291, the Bee reported.

What do you think? Now that the state budget contains a surplus, should lawmakers be given back some of the salary that was cut? Let us know in the comments section.

Patch contacted East Bay legislators for comment on the pay issue.

After the vote, state Sen. Mark DeSaulnier (D-Concord) said, "The California Citizens Compensation Commission was created by the voters and I respect their decisions. For me the opportunity to serve has never been about the money but rather the opportunity to represent my community.”

The commission was formed with the passage of Prop. 112 in 1990. Every year, it sets the salaries and benefits of state legislators and top elected officials.

The seven members of the commission are appointed to six-year terms by the governor.


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