The base salary of a Pennsylvania state legislator is $79,613 and these "public servants" will receive a COLA on Dec. 1 under a 1995 law that automatically raises their pay unless they vote not to accept the increase.
With the COLA, state lawmakers will make more than $80,000 a year.
With Pennsylvania's unemployment rate at 8.3% and rising and tax collection revenues declining every month in the new fiscal year, how can state lawmakers justify taking more from their constituents?
One Republican lawmaker - Rep. Brad Roae - wants to eliminate the scheduled pay raise.
"Many teachers and state workers agreed to a one-year pay freeze because of the state budget problems, so I think state representatives should lead by example and do the same thing," Roae said. "Social Security recipients went for several years without a COLA and the increase they are going to get next year will be offset by the higher Medicare payments retirees have to pay. Many local companies could not afford to give raises to their employees this year. If all of these people have had their incomes frozen, I believe state representatives should also have their incomes frozen."
Will a majority of the career politicians in Harrisburg vote to turn down a pay raise?
Stay tuned.
State Rep. Brad Roae Introduces Bill to Freeze State Representatives' Pay
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