If there's one mathematical formula we can always rely on, it's how politicians are always ahead of the inflation curve!
To be fair, the legislators currently do not draw much of a salary, which is how it should be for public positions that are meant to be temporary sacrifices made to represent one's neighbors and not a career, but I digress.
The measure would increase each legislator's salary from $28,000 to $40,000 next year and, beginning in 2025, adjust pay upward biennially according to the Employment Cost Index.
The Constitution State's governor, lieutenant governor, treasurer, secretary of state, attorney general and comptroller would also get pay hikes under the legislation. The governor's salary — now at $150,000, though current Governor Ned Lamont (D) does not accept it — would be tied to the state Supreme Court's chief justice's pay which is currently $206,617. The other constitutional officers' compensation would be tied to that of the state's Superior Court judges.
This is also the first raise the state legislature has considered since 2000.
The way the legislature went about this sudden decision to increase their pay, however, is what has some residents upset.
Ken Girardin, director of policy and research at the Hartford-based Yankee Institute, objected to the pay-hike legislation, reasoning that while salary changes arguably deserve consideration, he believes the bill passed by the House got taken up too precipitously. He further regretted that lawmakers are embracing automatic biennial raises after no substantive debate on the subject.
"This was sprung on the Connecticut public with literally minutes notice," he said. "No hearings, no outside testimony, no nothing. And that is not a good way to make policy."
Nope! Not good!
Girardin argued that legislators could have more defensibly proposed a substantial one-time pay increase while removing themselves from participation in the state pension and health systems that they oversee.
Yeah, probably, but they LIKE overseeing those state pension and health systems, Girardin. Petty tyrants gotta have something to chew their teeth on!
He concluded his reaction to the legislation by responding to a remark [State Rep. Doug] Dubitsky made that the payment system does not attract the "best and brightest" to state office.
"If there's such concern about the quality of the people getting elected, I, for one, would like to hear from the lawmakers which lawmakers they think don't belong in any of these offices," Girardin said.
Well, anyway, I assume the other states will probably respond with outcry before promptly voting to raise their politicians' salaries as well!
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