Editorial: Rejecting state pay raises was the right, only choice

In recent days Missouri lawmakers decided they and statewide elected officials would not get a raise after all, after senators blocked a proposed pay increase.

It was the right move, from political and practical perspectives.

According to a story from The Associated Press, a proposal called for $4,000 more per year over two years for lawmakers and an 8 percent raise for statewide officials in fiscal years 2016 and 2017. The governor, according to the article, who is paid $133,821 per year, would have seen more than a $22,000 raise as a result of this proposal.

The timing of such increases would've set off political land mines. The governor has withheld about $700 million from programs statewide. Last year, the state apparently didn't have enough money to fund a Cape Girardeau residential treatment facility for children dealing with mental health problems. Apparently in a few years the state will only have enough money to properly maintain about 25 percent of the state's roads. Critics have also pointed out there are no plans in place to give state employees raises next year.

Raises such as the ones proposed by a committee make politicians easy targets.

But it should be noted that periodic pay increases should be considered at some point. Eight percent raises seem absurd, given the current economic realities.

But the last time legislators and statewide officials got a raise was the 2009 fiscal year. In 1994, according to the AP, the state constitution was amended to remove lawmakers from the decision of setting new salaries. Instead, every two years a committee called The Missouri Citizens Commission on Compensation makes recommendations, which may be rejected by lawmakers.

Currently lawmakers earn $35,915 per year, according to The Associated Press. It's a tough job that requires intense, long hours while the government is in session. But the General Assembly is in session for about five months of the year. There are commitments, too, beyond being in session. Lawmakers are involved locally in countless meetings and appearances and remain involved with constituent services.

It's not reasonable to think politicians and government executives should never be given raises. It would make sense if compensation adjustments could be tied somehow to statewide economics. Perhaps pay increases (and pay cuts, perhaps?) could or should be tied to a formula rather than influenced by political and emotional static.

Regardless, politicians didn't really have a choice here. Raising salaries by 8 percent would have given future political foes easy ammunition in future races. Rejecting the increase was the right thing. But it wasn't a choice at all once it reached the Senate floor.