Jan 8, 2009 8:46 pm US/Eastern
Some Lawmakers Refusing Pay Hike
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
It's a pay raise that's raising eyebrows. As the state slashes budgets, every state Senator and Representative will be getting a 5.5 percent salary increase this year. The annual base salary is now just above $61,000.
If you add up this increase for every lawmaker, it amounts to an extra $600,000. A few legislators are either refusing the raise or donating theirs to charity. Many are taking it. It's part of a state law approved by voters; but all of the lawmakers we talked with understand that, beyond the golden dome, there's a negative perception of their pay raise at a time when many of their constituents are taking pay cuts or losing their jobs.
A spokesman for Gov. Deval Patrick says the governor will refuse the pay hike. Patrick currently earns $140,500 a year.
On Thursday, WBZ's Ron Sanders went into the people's house, where the legislature went back into session Wednesday, and walked around to find out how lawmakers are reacting to the people's reaction. "Tell us what your plans are for your pay raise."
"My intention is to donate it to charity in and around my district," but House Minority Leader Bradley Jones of North Reading said tough times affect some of his colleagues on both sides of the aisle.
Rep. George Peterson (R) Grafton said, "I haven't made a decision one way or another at this point. I'm sort of in a similar situation with families across the Commonwealth. My total income has been reduced severely."
Under the state law passed by voters in 1998, legislative salaries go up or down every two years in-line with median household income estimated by the Governor. South Boston Democrat Brian Wallace says, for what some lawmakers do, $61,000 dollars is a bargain for the taxpayers. "I mean, I work seven days a week, 24 hours a day, always there, phone's ringing all the time, people knocking at my door."
"This is your principal job?" asked WBZ's Ron Sanders.
"It's my only job. So, I think I'm worth $61,000 and I have no problem taking it." But Shrewsbury Republican Karen Polito does. She wrote the state treasurer to refuse the raise. "I am employed elsewhere but this is money, over $600,000, that could be dedicated to other parts of our operating budget, given back to cities and towns, wherever it could go," said Polito.
Speaker of the House Sal DiMasi plans to accept the raise, defending it as a modest increase and saying legislators have already been told to expect a pay cut next term.
Lt. Gov. Tim Murray said he would not accept the raise.
A spokesman for state Auditor Joe DeNucci said he would accept the raise but anticipated giving most, if not all of it, to charity.
There was no immediate word from Attorney General Martha Coakley, Treasurer Tim Cahill and Secretary of State William Galvin.
Since the legislative pay raise is automatic, State Senators and Representatives don't have to go on record and declare their positions on it. So we put the question to them. We emailed or phoned nearly 200 State Senators and Representatives today and asked them this question:
"If you had to vote on the pay raise you are about to receive, would you vote in favor of the pay raise or against the pay raise?"
The following lawmakers responded that they would vote AGAINST the pay raise if a vote was possible:
Sen. Brian Joyce (will donate his raise to community organizations)
Rep. Fred Barrows (will donate his raise to charitable organizations)
Rep. Lida Harkins
Rep. Lori Ehrlich
Rep Garrett Bradley (will refuse the raise)
Rep. Brad Hill
Rep. Rosemary Sandlin
Rep. Will Brownsberger
Rep. Lewis Evangelidis (will not accept raise)
Rep. Jeff Perry
Rep. Robert Rice (will donate his raise to food banks in his district)
Rep. Jennifer Callahan
Sen. Scott Brown (will donate his raise to food pantries and senior centers in his district)
Sen. James Timilty (will not accept the raise)
Rep. George Peterson
Rep. Timothy Toomey
Rep. Cleon Turner
Rep. Katherine Clark
Rep. Jay Kaufman
Rep. Kevin Murphy
Rep. Bradley Jones (will donate his charities in his district)
Rep. John Keenan
Sen. Robert Hedlund
Rep. Todd Smola
Rep. Coleen Garry
Rep. Paul McMurtry
The following State Senator would not say whether she would vote for or against the pay raise, but that she will accept the raise.
Sen. Susan Fargo
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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