The Arkansas Supreme Court news release on workload shifts reminded me of the ongoing issue of pay raises for elected state officials.
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No other public officials have made a request yet.
I wondered about the legislature. It brokered a huge pay raise in the first year of the independent commission’s authority in 2015. Pay went from $15,869 to $39,400, but legislators agreed to give up a home office expense account that was, for many legislators, a simple pay supplement. They kept the per diem payments that amount to tax-free pay supplements, along with some other expense allowances.
The independent commission gave no raises in 2016.
This year, I wondered, what does the legislature have in mind, if anything?
Said Senate President Pro Tem Jonathan Dismang:
The Senate will provide information or answer questions, but we will not be making a proposal.
No response yet from House Speaker Jeremy Gillam.