Posted: | January 23, 2013 03:34 PM |
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From: | Representative Gerald J. Mullery and Rep. Patty Kim |
To: | All House members |
Subject: | Eliminating Cost-Of-Living Allowances for the Governor,Judges and All Members of the General Assembly |
Memorandum TO: All Members of the House of Representatives FROM: Representative Gerald Mullery and Representative Patty Kim DATE: January 22, 2013 SUBJECT: Co-Sponsorship of Legislation – Eliminating Automatic Cost of Living Adjustments (COLAs) for Various Public Officials In the near future, We will be reintroducing legislation that will repeal various provisions of the Public Official Compensation Law of 1983 providing for automatic cost of living adjustments (COLAs) for members of the General Assembly, judges and various elected and appointed positions in the executive branch, including the governor and lieutenant governor. This legislation is identical to House Bill 565 introduced last session. Currently, members of the General Assembly earn a base salary that is one of the highest in the nation and receive automatic annual cost of living adjustments (COLAs). In addition to members of the General Assembly, judges throughout the Commonwealth as well as the governor, lieutenant governor, elected state row offices and departmental secretaries are all entitled to annual COLAs. Last month, Pennsylvania lawmakers received a 2.2 percent pay increase, boosting their base salaries to more than $83,000. This salary is more than $30,000 higher than the median household income in Pennsylvania of approximately $51,000. Our legislation will remove the automatic COLAs provided for various public officials in state law. After two consecutive budgets that significantly impacted our state’s neediest residents, we have a duty to eliminate unnecessary spending. The savings realized through our legislation will enable the Commonwealth to reallocate this money into crucial state services. It is our sincere hope you will join us in this important effort. If you would like to co-sponsor this important legislation, please do so today. |
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Introduced as HB1035