Tag: HCR 4 (2017)

Missouri House asked to reject pay hike for legislators, statewide office holders

Missouri House members are being asked to reject a pay increase for themselves, the governor, and other statewide officials.

Representative Mike Bernskoetter (photo; Tim Bommel, Missouri House Communications)
Representative Mike Bernskoetter (photo; Tim Bommel, Missouri House Communications)

The Missouri Citizens’ Commission on Compensation for Elected Officials recommended in its December 1 report an increase in pay over the next two years of five-percent for Representatives and Senators, and of eight-percent for the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Treasurer, Secretary of State, and Auditor.

House Concurrent Resolution 4, filed by Representative Mike Bernskoetter (R-Jefferson City), would reject the Commission’s recommendation and thereby block those pay raises.  To pass, it must be approved by two-thirds votes in each chamber and would go then to Governor Eric Greitens (R).  If no action is taken before February 1, the Commission’s recommendations would be enacted.

Bernskoetter, who recently spoke with House Communications about the chances the state will be able to increase the pay of its workers in the Fiscal Year 2018 budget, said this is not the time for legislators and other elected officials to get a raise.

“According to the budget chair it’s possible we’re going to have to cut $500-million out of the budget and I don’t know where we’re going to get the money from to do that and then give us a raise,” said Bernskoetter.  “Doesn’t really seem to compute.”

House Democrat Leader Gail McCann Beatty (D-Kansas City) agrees that the proposed increases should be rejected.

“We already see that we are having some budget challenges,” said McCann Beatty.  “I don’t believe that increases to the legislature or to the executive branch should be our priorities right now, and we also have to consider that our state employees are some of the lowest-paid state employees and if we’ve got dollars to increase salaries that is probably where that priority should be.”

Bernskoetter’s resolution is scheduled to be considered by the House General Laws Committee Tuesday at 2:30.  The Committee will likely vote on it during a hearing on the following day.

The Citizens’ Commission was created so that the power to control how much elected officials are paid lies with citizens.  It generally makes salary recommendations for elected officials and judges every two years.