Politics & Government
Southern Lehigh Lawmakers Refuse 2012 Pay Raise
Cost of living raise approximately 2,400 dollars
State lawmakers get a 3 percent cost-of-living raise – about $2,400 before taxes -- starting Dec. 1, and all of the Lehigh Valley lawmakers reached by Patch said they will either donate their raises to charity or refund them to the state treasury.
The lawmakers’ annual pay – before taxes – will go from the current $79,623.23 to $82,026.11, according to the Pennsylvania Bulletin, which lists legal and rulemaking information.
Lawmakers in leadership positions already make extra money, and the 3 percent increase also applies to those amounts, according to the Bulletin. The extra amounts, including the 3 percent raise, will range from $11,506 to $46,021.
The following is a list of area lawmakers and what they plan to do with their raises:
--Sen. Bob Mensch, R-24th. He too prefers donating to charities instead of refunding to the treasury. He said giving it back to the state increases processing costs. He also noted that he recently gave $300 to a group that provided Thanksgiving meals to the needy and brought some items to Toys for Tots.
--Rep. Justin Simmons, R-131st. “In these financially difficult times for families, I will not be accepting” the raise, he said in a statement read by an aide. “I plan to return it” to the treasury.
--Sen. Pat Browne, R.16th, who could end up is donating his raise to charity. He also donated to charity last year, according to Ellen Kern, his chief of staff.
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The Pennsylvania Bulletin, in an item published Nov. 26, explains how the 3 percent raise is calculated: It is based on the Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland for the period Nov. 1, 2010 through Oct. 31, 2011. The raise is part of the Public Official Compensation Law (Act 72 of 2005).