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State officials are divided on taking raises

It's only a few hundred thousand dollars out of a $5.4 billion shortfall.

But a 5.3 percent increase for state legislators could be a hard thing for struggling Wisconsinites to watch.

Legislators representing Rock and Walworth counties have mixed responses—if they have even decided—regarding what they will do with the pay raises scheduled for the 2009-2010 session.

Each legislator is scheduled to earn $49,943 in the 2009-10 session.

The Legislature didn't vote on it.

According to state law, changes to the compensation plan for elected officials are submitted by the director of the Office of State Employment Relations to an eight-person joint committee on employment relations.

The committee votes on the entire compensation plan, said Laura Jones with the Office of the Assembly Chief Clerk.

The state constitution prohibits salaries from being changed mid-term, according to a brief from the Legislative Reference Bureau.

In addition to salary and benefits, Legislators get a per diem rate for meals and lodging for weekday work in Madison, according to the bureau. A committee for each house sets the maximum per diem for its members.

"Despite subsequent adjustments in the federal travel allowance, the rates set by the committees have remained the same since 2001," the brief states.

The per diem is $88 for legislators living outside of Dane County and $44 for those living in Dane.

The Janesville Gazette asked local legislators if they intend to accept the raise.

Rep. Chuck Benedict, D-Beloit—Benedict tentatively plans to give to charity the $2,500 dollars per year included in the scheduled pay increase.

"The quick answer is we can't give the money back," Benedict said.

Benedict said he hasn't decided where he will donate the money but will make that decision in early 2009.

Rep. Brett Davis, R-Oregon—Davis won't accept a pay raise in the upcoming session.

"Due to the weak economy, many families and businesses are facing tough times and are not seeing pay increases this year," Davis said in a statement. "I do not think it is fair that elected officials get a raise when many folks are facing slimmer family budgets."

Davis said he would donate his pay increase of $2,530 per year to local charities.

"I believe the dollars will be better spent locally rather than by state government," he said. "We have a lot of great causes in southern Wisconsin, and I plan to donate the money to local charities on a rotating basis throughout the upcoming biennium."

Sen. Jon Erpenbach, D-Middleton—Sen. Jon Erpenbach said last week he would not accept the midterm pay increase. The Middleton Democrat said he would send the money back to the Senate chief clerk.

Since his election in 1998, he has never accepted a mid-term pay raise, he said.

Rep. Kim Hixson, D-Whitewater—Hixson said he'll accept the raise.

Hixson took a leave of absence from his position at UW-Whitewater to serve in the Legislature, he said.

"I've already asked my family to sacrifice for me being in the Legislature because I took a cut in pay," he said. "I was a state employee, and as such I'm not allowed to do my other job. I don't think it's fair to ask my family to do without."

Sen. Neal Kedzie, R-Elkhorn—The Gazette could not reach Kedzie for comment.

Rep. Thomas Lothian, R-Williams Bay—Lothian said he's gotten a few phone calls from constituents about the 5.3 percent pay raise he's set to receive next session.

"These are raises that we (legislators) had nothing to do with," he said.

Lothian said when he took office in 2002, he tried to turn down the pay raise that was scheduled then.

"I found out at that time that I couldn't not take the money," he said. "I had to take the money."

Lothian said he requested that pay raise be put in the state's rainy day fund.

"This time, I don't know," he said.

Lothian said he plans to have his staff look into what options are available.

Rep. Stephen Nass, R-Whitewater—Rep. Nass will accept the pay increase, he said.

"One thing that many, many are forgetting is that legislators did take a pay freeze for four years not that long ago," Nass said.

Sen. Judy Robson, D-Beloit—The Janesville Gazette could not reach Robson for comment.

Rep. Mike Sheridan, D-Janesville—Sheridan, Assembly speaker-elect will accept the pay increase, he wrote in a news statement.

"I plan to accept the pay increase and work hard for every dime," Sheridan wrote.

He thinks the decision is a personal one for legislators.

The Assembly will keep looking for ways to streamline the operating costs of the legislative process, Sheridan wrote.

He cited the fact that per diem allowances have been frozen since the 2001 budget cycle and will remain frozen in the 2009-10 cycle.

Legislators' salaries have increased 1.9 percent annually for 10 years, keeping their wages below the base pay of other full-time legislators, Sheridan wrote.