The Virginia Senate shot down an attempt to raise the pay of future lawmakers with opponents insisting it sent the wrong message to residents still suffering from the recession.
Republican and Democratic leaders pushed hard for the pay increase but their rank and file wanted nothing to do with it and it failed with just nine voting “yes.”
The bill wouldn’t raise lawmakers’ pay until 2016, putting an election between the current legislature and the body that would benefit from the pay increases. And it only would have tied Senate raises to the same inflation index used for other state employees.
Still, it’s a slippery slope sure to become fodder in future elections, particularly for those in more competitive districts or anyone with aspirations of higher office, and a bipartisan group of lawmakers voted against it.
“I really want us to think about what we’re doing here and the message we’re sending out to our fellow Virginians,” said Sen. Jeffrey McWaters, R-Virginia Beach. “For us to be even be taking the time of our citizenry when we haven’t even passed a budget — we should pass a bill that says if we don’t pass a budget, we should have our salaries cut to zero.”
Originally, 10 voted for the bill — nine Democrats plus Senate Majority Leader Tommy Norment, R-James City, the only Republican in favor of it. Norment dropped his support during a revote.
The bill already passed the House unanimously.
Norment and Senate Minority Leader Dick Saslaw, D-Fairfax, noted it has been more than two decades since the last pay increase and the low compensation could deter participation from those who can’t afford to take two months off of work each year to come down to Richmond for little pay.
Senators make $18,000 a year plus benefits. Delegates make $17,640.
“We have lost some pretty valuable people in both parties who have just said, ‘I can’t do this anymore,’” Saslaw said. “I don’t think it serves the citizens of this state well to have a state legislature that is filled with two types of people: the well-to-do and (the retired).”
