Panel imposes pay freeze for lawmakers
A commission that sets state elected officials’ salaries imposed a pay freeze June 10 but rejected an attempt to cut most lawmakers’ wages by 10 percent to help balance the state budget.
Some commissioners suggested legislators and other elected officials should voluntarily give up some of their pay to help erase the state’s red ink.
California faces a $17 billion deficit in the fiscal year that starts in July, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said. He has called on lawmakers to approve 10 percent cuts in most state operations.
The seven-member California Citizens Compensation Commission voted 3-2 to reject Sands’ motion to cut the pay of the 100 lawmakers who will begin new terms in December. Commissioners then voted 4-1 to freeze salaries of all state elected officials for the next 18 months. State elected officials’ annual salaries range from $116,208 for lawmakers to $212,179 for the governor. Schwarzenegger doesn’t accept state pay and 26 lawmakers rejected a 2.75 percent raise that took effect in December
