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Monday, March 29, 2010

Ind. Gov't. - More on: Ind. Gov't. - Indy Star posts latest database of state employee salaries

Updating this ILB entry from March 23, 2010, which revealed that House Speaker Pat Bauer earned $63,023 last year as a part-time legislator, Dorothy Schineider of the Lafayette Journal Courier has a story today headed "Lawmakers made more, and can explain why." Some quotes:

In 2009 -- a year when salary freezes seemed to be common than not -- it's notable that state lawmakers from the Lafayette area received as much as $15,898 in additional pay, according to a new database of state pay.

That single year's increase in pay was more than the annual salaries of legislators in Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Texas, according to data from the Council of State Governments.

But there are several factors that played into the 2009 paychecks for Indiana's part-time legislators, which were among those reported in the past week in a state pay database compiled by The Indianapolis Star.

A bill passed in 2007 granted lawmakers the first base pay increase since 1985.

That pay hike took effect in 2009, boosting base pay for legislators from $11,600 to $22,616. In addition to the base pay, those in the General Assembly receive a per diem and other expenses. * * *

While 2009 was a scheduled "long session," giving lawmakers time to work through the budget process, lawmakers wound up back in a special session in June to resolve their differences.

The special session costs were not available from Indiana House staff last week.

But on the Senate side, lawmakers were paid more than $32,000 in per diem for the extra June days.

For background, see this March 04, 2007 ILB entry headed "Senate passes a non-transparent and convoluted pay raise bill."

Posted by Marcia Oddi on March 29, 2010 01:30 PM
Posted to Indiana Government | Legislative Benefits