Voice of the Mid-Columbia | Kennewick, Pasco and Richland, Wash. |

reprint or license print story Print email this story to a friend E-Mail
Bookmark and Share

tool name

close
tool goes here

Thursday, Jan. 08, 2009

Comments (0)

State's lawmakers would reject raise

By Les Blumenthal, Herald Washinton D.C. bureau

WASHINGTON -- Lawmakers from Washington say they would prefer not to be receiving a $4,700-a-year pay raise amid a recession and with millions of people unemployed. But they may not be given a chance to turn it down.

The 2.8 percent raise, which would increase base salaries to $174,000, took effect Tuesday as the new congressional session began. The raise is automatic unless members block it. There are no indications congressional leaders will bring it to a vote.

"In light of the current financial situation in Washington state and around the country, I oppose increasing the salaries of members of Congress," Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash, said in a statement. "As public officials we should not be giving ourselves a raise when many of the people we represent are suffering financial hardship."

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said she opposed the pay raise, but she added that Congress' top priority is quick passage of an economic stimulus bill.

"I have voted several times to forgo the congressional pay raise and will do so again if it comes up for a vote," Murray said in a statement. "But what's most important is for Congress to work with President-elect Obama to pass a stimulus plan that gets Americans back to work in good family-wage jobs as soon as possible."

Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Wash, agreed.

"If the congressional pay raise comes up for a vote I'll vote against it, but right now I'm focused on economic recovery and job growth," Larsen said in a statement.

In an e-mail, Rep. Doc Hastings, R-Wash., didn't indicate whether he opposed the pay raise. But Hastings said the burden rests with the Democratic majority to bring the issue to the floor.

The last time lawmakers turned down a pay raise was in 2007, when a Democratic-led Congress decided to forgo it because it hadn't approved an increase in the minimum wage.

A year ago, members received a 2.5 percent increase.

The issue is a sensitive one for lawmakers, who devised the automatic pay-raise system to sidestep an annual fight over what they call a cost-of-living allowance.

-- Rob Hotakainen contributed to this report.



advertisements