WAFF.com: North Alabama News, Radar, Weather, Sports and Jobs-Legislators give themselves a pay raise
Do you want a pay raise?
Well, give yourself one.
That's what's playing out at the State Capitol.
State lawmakers say this was all part of the process and they say they're not surprised at the route or the result.
Last week legislators gave themselves a pay raise.
This morning the Governor vetoed that pay raise.
This afternoon legislators over rode that veto.
The old numbers and the new numbers the focus of this WAFF 48 Investigators Report.
Each state legislator makes a salary at $30,710 per year, but lawmakers meet in Montgomery only 30 days out of the year.
That's an average of $1,023.67 per legislative day.
But House Joint Resolution 29 is set for a vote and if approved, legislators would give themselves an $18,790 to $49,500 per year, or $1,650 per legislative day.
Elected this past November, State Senator Parker Griffith is serving his first legislative term.
We caught up with Griffith over the phone.
"No one ever believes that their legislature deserves a pay raise. Do they deserve a pay raise? Yes. I think so. The big mistake that was made was that they never addressed the issue for 16 years and it's poor management," says Griffith.
Griffith's argument is simple division.
Legislators last pay raise was in 1991 and a 61-percent increase in 2007 divided by 16 years equals a 3.8 percent raise per year.
Governor Bob Riley vetoed the pay raise, explaining why on WAFF 48 News Today.
"But to come back in the regular session and say that the most important thing going on in Montgomery today is giving legislators a pay raise, I just think it sends the wrong message and 61% is just excessive as far as I was concerned," said Riley.
Governor Riley makes $112,894 per year.
In 1990 Governor Guy Hunt's salary topped out at $70,222 per year.
That's a 60 percent increase in the past 17 years.
