Panel Grants Lawmakers $2,400 Salary Increase
The Legislature, which is debating raises for state employees and teachers, itself got a pay increase Wednesday.
The independent citizens salary commission handed lawmakers increases of $100 a month beginning next September and another $100 in September 1996. That boosts lawmakers’ pay from the current $25,900 a year to $28,300 a year over the two-year period, an increase of 4.6 percent per year.
The commission also increased state Treasurer Dan Grimm’s salary from $79,500 a year to $84,100.
All other elected officials were ignored by the commission. They will continue to draw the same pay they have since Sept. 3, 1992.
The governor will continue to receive $121,000 a year. However, Gov. Mike Lowry draws only $90,000 of his full salary.
Other elected official salaries are $92,000 for the attorney general, $86,600 for the superintendent of public instruction and commissioner of public lands, $84,100 for the auditor, $77,200 for the insurance commissioner, $64,300 for the secretary of state and $62,700 for the lieutenant governor.
Supreme Court justices and other judges were awarded a 2.5 percent across-the-board increase.
Supreme Court justices currently receive $107,200 a year, appeals court judges $101,900, superior court judges $96,600 and district court judges $91,200.
Reaction to the $2,400 legislator pay raise was mixed.
“It’s well deserved, but the timing is bad,” Senate Democratic Caucus Chairman Sid Snyder, D-Long Beach said.
Rep. Greg Fisher, D-Normandy Park, wasn’t as kind.
“Apparently they (salary commission) don’t believe in merit pay,” Fisher said.
The pay raises go into effect next September and can be blocked only by a citizen referendum.
To qualify a referendum for the ballot, backers have 90 days to collect the signatures of 90,834 registered voters.
Washington voters created the Salary Commission in 1986 by amending the state constitution that removed the responsibility for setting the salaries of elected officials from the Legislature.