Pennsylvania state officials will see a pay raise in 2018

HARRISBURG » The salaries of Pennsylvania’s 253 state lawmakers, more than 1,000 judges and several dozen top executive branch officials will rise in 2018.

The increase amounts to 0.8 percent, a figure tied by state law to the year-overyear change in the consumer price index published by the U.S. Department of Labor for urban consumers in the midAtlantic region.

The bump takes effect Friday for lawmakers and Jan. 1 for judicial and executive branch officials. It is slightly smaller than last year’s increase of 1.3 percent.

Highest-paid is state Supreme Court Chief Justice Tom Saylor, a Republican. His salary will rise by about $1,600 to $213,750, while the other six members of the high court will see a similar-sized increase to $207,700.

Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf’s salary will rise about $1,500 to $194,850, although his office says he donates the money to charity since the law requires him to accept it.

Most lawmakers, already the nation’s second-highest paid, will see an increase of about $700 to almost $87,200 in base pay. They also receive per diems, while lawmakers in leadership posts will top out at $136,000 for the House Speaker Mike Turzai, R-Allegheny, and Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati, R-Jefferson.

The four party floor leaders will each make $126,300 while caucus whips and Appropriations Committee chairmen will receive almost $117,000.

County court judges will see increases to above $180,000, while judges in larger districts, such as Philadelphia and Allegheny County, will get slightly more.

Lt. Gov. Mike Stack will make almost $163,700, while the three statewide elected row officers — Attorney General Josh Shapiro, Treasurer Joe Torsella and Auditor General Eugene DePasquale — each will make $162,115.