What Do Top Idaho Officials Say? "Pay me more - Now."
Once again, Idaho lawmakers are putting elected officials above the people they have been called upon to serve. Senate Bill 1395 would raise the pay of top elected officials next year for a host of statewide officials. Pay increases range from 2.5 percent for the governor, secretary of state, treasurer and controller, to 16 percent for the Attorney general and 19.6 percent for the lieutenant governor.
This move falls on the heels of an earlier decision to give state employees, whose pay lags far behind private sector wages, a split 2 percent increase – 1 percent permanent, and 1 percent as a one-time bonus.
Gimme some money, but don't give any to my employees.
While I support pay increases, I don’t believe we should be giving elected officials, many of whom already earn more than $100,000 a year, a higher increase than state employees, most of whom make less than $40,000 a year. According to the Spokesman Review's Betsy Russell:
Governor Butch Otter currently makes $119,000 a year, not including a $4,000 per month housing allowance. The Secretary of State, controller, treasurer and schools superintendent all make $101,150 a year and the Attorney General currently makes $107,100 a year. The only top elected official who makes less than $100,000 is the lieutenant governor, at $35,700 a year.
Under Senate Bill 1395, pay for top elected officials would increase this year and each of the next four years. The lieutenant governor’s pay would rise to $42,691 by next year and $45,973.90 by 2019. The governor’s pay would rise to $131,354 by 2019 and the secretary of state, treasurer and controller would make $111,650.90 by 2019; that’s a 10 percent increase over the next four years. The Attorney General’s pay would rise 16 percent to $124,000 by July 1, and stay there for the next four years. These increases would cost state taxpayers $86,700 over the next four years, much of which will go to Governor Otter, who did not recommend any raises for state employees. Senator Bart Davis, one of the co-sponsors of SB 1395, said the increases for top elected officials will help “attract as many qualified candidates as possible.” A majority of our government is managed by employees, and not elected officials. Attracting more politicians with monetary enticements will do little to improve the function of our government if our state employees qualify for food stamps.
Our state employees languish as elected leaders benefit
Wages for state workers, though, currently fall 29 percent behind private-sector wages, and 10 percent behind those in surrounding states. A full 56 percent of state employees make less than $40,000 a year, and 20 percent make less than $20,000. Not only are state worker wages below private sector wages, but their pay remains flat for three of the past 6 years. And, in fact, they saw a 5 percent cut in 2010. Giving those at the top, who already earn a generous salary, a bigger pay raise than the everyday workers who keep the wheels of government turning is wrong – especially when taxpayers are footing the bill.
