Maryland lawmakers have a chance to increase their salaries after four years without a pay raise.
Two citizens panels have recommended pay raises for lawmakers and top elected officials this year, but legislators are leaning against voting to line their pockets when the General Assembly convenes next week.
“The timing is horrendous,” said Simon G. Powell, head researcher for one of the commissions.
In an election year in a poor economy, and with lawmakers facing a $2 billion budget shortfall, legislators are shunning the prospect of a pay raise.
“I would be opposed to any increases for legislators,” said state Sen. Mike Lenett, D-Aspen Hill. “The state is already asking so much in terms of sacrifices in this economy, across the board. We shouldn’t be in the position of increasing our own pay.”
The General Assembly Compensation Committee recommended a $2,000 raise for the state’s 188 legislators effective by 2013, if Maryland’s unemployment rate drops from 7 percent to below 5 percent. House and Senate salaries have been frozen at $43,500 for the past four years.
The Governor’s Salary Commission is recommending a $10,000 raise, to $160,000, for Gov. Martin O’Malley, as well as $8,000 raises for the attorney general and comptroller. O’Malley is the 11th highest-paid governor in the nation, according to the Council of State Governments.
“Recommending any kind of increase at the current time is going to look to a lot of people like it was ill-advised,” said Steven D. McCulloch, researcher for the Governor’s Salary Commission. “But if the commission did not make recommendations for the next term, the governor would be guaranteed eight years of no salary increase.”
Salary proposals approved this year will be effective from 2011 through 2014.
Del. Brian J. Feldman, D-North Potomac, said he would consider supporting a pay raise triggered by unemployment rates, but it would be “difficult to justify.”
“For one-third of state legislators, the legislative salary is their only salary,” he said. “Could I support a family of four in Montgomery County on $43,000 a year? No.” Feldman said he works as a lawyer to supplement his legislative income.
But Rockville Del. Luiz Simmons said: “The higher the salaries, the more careerists you are going to attract. … Careerists make themselves more and more susceptible to protecting their jobs and less inclined to take political risks, speak truth to power and break with leadership. And the public suffers.
“I’m not voting for any increase. Public service should be public service.”
