Mullery bill would eliminate automatic pay raises for elected officials

WILKES-BARRE — Rep. Gerald Mullery said this week that he is continuing his efforts to reform Harrisburg and keep elected officials accountable by introducing legislation which would end the perk of annual automatic pay raises for legislators.

“Annual pay raises are not guaranteed to many Pennsylvania workers and that should be the same for our General Assembly and other elected leaders,” said Mullery, D-Newport Township. “In these polarized times, eliminating automatic pay raises would be a good step toward restoring the public’s trust in government.”

Mullery said under H.B. 2122, the annual cost-of-living adjustment in the Public Official Compensation Law of 1983 would be repealed. This would apply not just to members of the General Assembly, but also to judges throughout the Commonwealth, the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, treasurer, auditor general, and agency heads in Pennsylvania’s executive branch.

“Pennsylvania’s minimum wage has not increased since 2007 and wages have remained stagnant, yet our elected officials receive these annual raises automatically,” Mullery sad. “It is an insult to the thousands of hardworking Pennsylvanians who are not afforded this same entitlement.”

The bill has been referred to the House State Government Committee for consideration. Rep. Mike Carroll, D-Avoca, is the prime sponsor of the legislation.

“I fully support Rep. Mullery’s bill and in fact and I am the first co-sponsor of the legislation,” Carroll said. “I believe salary increases should be enacted by a vote of the General Assembly and each legislator can defend their vote accordingly.”

Rep. Aaron Kaufer, R-Kingston, said while he supports the measure, there are even greater needs for more comprehensive reform to public officials’ pay structures.

“This includes eliminating per diems, requiring actual expenses and receipts for all legislative expenditures, banning legislative gifts, and other perks, that can save more money and address even larger financial mismanagement while restoring the public trust,” Kaufer said.

Sen. John Yudichak, I-Swoyersville, offered this:

“On the issue of legislative reform, I have consistently put taxpayers first by refusing per diems, voting against the legislative pay raise and pension hike, and by voting to eliminate the legislative COLA.

“Taxpayers should be very suspicious, however, of legislators who propose legislative reforms, but fail to live by them.”

Sen. Lisa Baker, R-Lehman Township, said she has been a proponent of ending legislative pay raises for years. In the past, she said she gave the money back to the Treasury Department, but they could not provide an accounting of what they did with the returned money, so she now gives it to organizations within the 20th Senatorial District, where it can make a positive difference for the community.

“I have consistently supported legislation to eliminate pay raises for elected officials,” Baker said. “As has been my past practice, any increases are donated to United Way of Wyoming Valley, where I am both a leadership giver and past campaign chair, as well as to other local charitable organizations.”

Rep. Tarah Toohil, R-Butler Township, said she has not yet read Mullery bill, but she said she did like the premise of it considering that senior citizens are many times denied a cost of living adjustment.

“There is an inherent unfairness in how seniors seem to be getting the least amount of government assistance during this post pandemic time of increased welfare and entitlements,” Toohil said. “When these COLAS are received I have been careful to increase my charitable giving back to the community.”

Rep. Karen Boback, R-Harveys Lake, and Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, D-Wilkes-Barre, did not respond to the Times Leader’s request for comment.

Mullery said the legislation has several co-sponsors:

Prime Co-Sponsor: Rep. Mike Carroll, 118th District; Rep. Napoleon Nelson, 154th District; Rep. Liz Hanbidge, 61st District; Rep. Stephen Kinsey, 201st District; Rep. Joseph Hohenstein, 177th District; Rep. David Delloso, 162nd District; Rep. Patty Kim, 103rd District; Rep. Pam Snyder, 50th District; Rep. Brett Miller, 41st District; Rep. Jeanne McNeill, 133rd District; Rep. Kristine C. Howard, 167th District; Rep. Aaron Bernstine , 10th District.