Colorado Lawmakers Set To Receive Pay Increase Even As Programs And Spending Are Slashed
DENVER (CBS4) - While protests continue outside the Colorado State Capitol, the House debated deep cuts to the state budget inside the Capitol. Republicans targeted the salaries of the state's top executives Tuesday, as well as upcoming pay raises for lawmakers.
Together, the pay cuts would add up to just over $1 million. To put that in perspective, the Joint Budget Committee had to cut $3.3 billion.
Minority Leader Patrick Neville says it's about more than money.
"Even though it's not a whole ton of money, I think it's the right thing to do. Lawmakers should not be getting a pay raise during this pandemic, during a budget crisis. We shouldn't be getting a pay raise."
Neville says hundreds of thousands of Coloradans have not only had their salaries cut, but their jobs. He says lawmakers need to share in the pain. House Republicans introduced an amendment aimed at reducing the salaries of the executive director and deputy director of every state department by $25,000 each. They say many of them make $150,000 or more a year. Democrats killed the amendment. They say the budget committee has already cut department budgets 5% across the board and the directors' salaries need to stay competitive.
But Democratic Majority Leader Alec Garnett says he is open to a Republican bill targeting automatic pay raises for lawmakers.
"I understand the optics of saying there shouldn't be this pay increase even though it's a very minimal amount and it's baked into a schedule because of the pain that a lot of people are going through in Colorado and that's taxpayer dollars, so I get all of that. So I'm certainly willing to sit down and talk about it with the minority leader. I'm happy to talk to my caucus about it."
Lawmakers' salaries are set to go up on average 3%. Their per diem reimbursements are also going up, unless there's a bill to stop it. Democrats control both chambers, so Republicans need their permission to bring bills this late in the session.
