Raye Attacks Cost-of-living Pay For Legislature

Senate minority leader Kevin Raye is making a stand on principle.  That’s all it can really be, of course, because what he is talking about will be so inconsequential it is hardly worth filing the paperwork on.  Raye is looking to curb the automatic cost-of-living adjustment received by the legislature this year and next, due to the economic downturn.

“I simply think it’s inappropriate for the Legislature to be accepting a cost-of-living adjustment in these difficult times,” he said.

Actually, Raye has submitted two bills – the first of which will be to end the raises for this year as an emergency bill, and it will require the support of two-thirds of the legislature, while the second is intended to curb the raise for next year, which would only need a simple majority.

“To me, it’s just the principle behind it,” he said.

The raise for the year would be 3.7% for each lawmaker, costing an additional $40,000.  No word yet on how the rest of the budget shortfall will be made up.