Rejecting Pay Raises for Legislators
Early this week the Senate debated and defeated a potential pay raise for legislators. I want to report that I voted against this pay raise. The state budget is in the red and now is simply not the time for legislators to be giving themselves a pay raise. I joined with 25 of my colleagues in denying this pay raise and I have previously voted against a legislative pay raise in 2015. In fact, I have voted against legislative pay raises every time I have had the opportunity to do so.
The debate lasted for more than seven hours and focused on whether to turn down a $1,800 pay increase over the next two years. Lawmakers currently make $35,914 a year. That figure has remained the same since 2009.
A citizen panel, the Missouri Citizens Commission on Compensation for Elected Officials, recommends pay levels for legislators and statewide elected officials in Missouri. Constitutionally required to meet every two years, the commission evaluates whether to increase officials’ pay, and the group’s suggestions will automatically take effect in July unless two-thirds of the Missouri Legislature votes against them by Feb. 1. Lawmakers can vote to block any raises from going into effect and that is exactly what we did on Monday.
I appreciate the efforts and recommendations of the Citizens Commission on Compensation for Elected Officials, but I simply could not approve a raise for myself and other legislators while the state budget is facing serious cuts. We have to make many tough decisions in the Legislature in coming months, but rejecting this pay raise was an easy decision. I acknowledge that inflation can cut into the value of the current salary level over time but now just wasn’t the time for a raise for your representatives and Senators in the Capitol.
Transportation Committee Work
This week the Senate Transportation Committee, which I chair, joined with our House colleagues to hold the required annual Joint Transportation Committee hearing. Members from both chambers heard the Missouri Department of Transportation’s annual report from Director Patrick McKenna. Many of the topics were not news to us, but it is important to be reminded that our infrastructure is aging and will, one way or another, need serious investments to be revitalized and expanded.
There is a lot of hope surrounding President Trump’s ambitious infrastructure plans and many in the transportation community are awaiting details from Washington, D.C., to see how Missouri can fully leverage investments in infrastructure to bolster our aging roads and bridges while also expanding capacity on our state’s highways, waterways, and railways. Missouri is literally the crossroads of the nation and our state’s importance to freight traffic cannot be understated. I am glad the new administration is prioritizing real-world issues like infrastructure and I look forward to ensuring that Missouri does not miss any opportunities to improve our transportation system.
Thank you for reading this weekly column. Please contact my office at (573) 751-3678 if you have any questions.