Upcoming election makes proposed pay hike tricky for legislators
While an independent commission says Utah lawmakers should give themselves an overdue pay raise, legislative leaders say members might not want to take on that politically tricky issue during the upcoming election year.
“It’s a tough time to be talking about that,” House Speaker Greg Hughes said after the compensation commission formally presented its recommendations Tuesday to the Executive Appropriations Committee.
When Senate President Wayne Niederhauser was asked what chance he gives of passing a pay raise during the upcoming election year, he said, “50-50. There’s a chance. It’s hard to say.”
Utah lawmakers have not increased their pay since 2013.
The commission now proposes to raise legislative pay from $273 daily to $285. It says that “roughly corresponds to cost of living increases since the last raise in 2013.”
Read more: http://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2017/12/13/upcoming-election-makes-proposed-pay-hike-tricky-for-legislators/