Mass Fiscal Alliance Urges Lawmakers to Turn Down Pay Increase

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Tuesday, December 02, 2014

Patrick Sargent, GoLocal Worcester Contributor

Mass Fiscal Alliance Executive Director Paul Craney

On Monday, the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance called upon lawmakers to reject proposals made by a commissions that recommended large salary increases for many state elected officials.

In a released statement, Paul Craney, Mass Fiscal's Executive Director, said “Simply put, passing the commission's proposals would send the wrong message at the wrong time. With tens of millions of dollars in cuts to local aid and other programs being proposed to close a gaping hole in the state's budget, enormous pay increases for politicians are a completely inappropriate use of taxpayer money.”

The commission proposed to increase newly-elected Governor Charlie Baker's salary to $185,000 and provide a $65,000 annual housing stipend. Also the commission recommended the Speaker of the House and the Senate President receive pay raises up to $175,000 a year. Small raises would go to the Attorney General and State Treasurer's salaries.

Mass Fiscal Alliance takes issue that "all re-elected lawmakers would essentially be voting for their own raises without having to face the voters, a clear conflict of interest."

Mass Fiscal does support the end of per diem payments for lawmakers. Mass Fiscal says per diems have been criticized as "an accountability-free way of paying lawmakers to drive to work."

“We certainly applaud the commission for joining the call to end per diem payments. That said, Beacon Hill politicians should use common sense and not vote to give themselves a raise paid for with money that could be better spent fulfilling the broken promises of local aid," said Craney.