Committee rejects pay hike

Allen Andrews

Fiscal responsibility is imperative to creating a stronger, leaner, more prosperous nation for the next generation. The choices we make today — or fail to make — will be the determining factor of what kind of future our children and grandchildren will inherit 20 years from now.

Our four-county district is made up of honest, hard-working folks who believe in fiscally conservative policies. As taxpayers work hard to hold onto their earnings, it is my belief that state must get out of the way and stay out of their pockets.

I am proud the House Rules Committee took the fiscally responsible action of rejecting a proposed pay increase for elected officials. This is an effort I am proud to support as I am confident my colleagues will also respond with a firm “no” to proposed salary increases for members of the General Assembly and the governor.

These salary increases were recommended by the Citizens’ Commission on Compensation for Elected Officials, which meets every two years, per our state Constitution, to set the compensation for state officials.

Once the recommendations are made, they automatically go into effect unless the Legislature rejects the proposal by Feb 1. It takes a two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate to keep the increases from going into effect.

Because I firmly believe it is not appropriate to put more of your tax dollars in the pockets of elected officials, I will declare a strong vote for the passage of resolutions to prevent salary hikes from becoming reality. This legislation will then move to the Senate, where I expect my colleagues there to resoundingly approve saying no to more pay for elected legislators.