Connecticut legislators could receive pay raises

Lawmakers to vote on 1st salary increases in 20 years

HARTFORD — After more than 20 years and plenty of voter complaints, Connecticut state legislators are expected to vote in the next two days on their first pay raises in two decades that would be awarded in 2023.

For years, legislators have been afraid to vote on hiking their pay — even though the increase would be prospective and only awarded to the winners in the November elections.

Lawmakers were debating the $24.2 billion state budget late Monday night and said that a vote on the pay raises would not be held until after budget vote.

The impetus for the idea came from opening-day speeches in February by two retiring legislators — Democratic Rep. Joe de la Cruz of Groton and Republican David Wilson of Litchfield — who inspired lawmakers to consider a raise that would be adjusted every two years for inflation. Both lawmakers said that the legislature could recruit better candidates by increasing the annual base salary of $28,000 per year that has not increased since 2001.

House Speaker Matt Ritter of Hartford said that the speeches had started the debate, which will also include the salaries of the statewide constitutional officers like the Secretary of the State. The attorney general, for example, is currently paid $110,000 per year for overseeing 200 lawyers, which would be a relatively large law firm. Ritter said the attorney general should be paid at least the same as a Superior Court judge, who currently receive $180,000 per year after a 4.5% raise for the current fiscal year. The judges are scheduled to get another 5% raise in the next fiscal year.

Future increases would be made automatically in the same way that inflation increases Social Security benefits on an annual basis. For legislators, the increases would be adjusted every two years.

The $24.2 billion state budget would fund the pay raises for state legislators, who also receive additional l stipends for various leadership posts.

While some lawmakers have balked at pay raises, House Republican leader Vincent Candelora of North Branford says this year might be different.

“It’s been a political football for 20 years. It’s why this issue has never been taken up,’’ said Candelora, who owns a small business. “It’s reached a point where only wealthy people can serve in public office, and that’s not the way our system should be set up.’’

While the pay raise would be funded by the budget, any raises would be covered in a separate bill with a separate vote.

Many legislators have other jobs, but some like deputy House Speaker Pro Tempore Robert Godfrey of Danbury do not. While some legislators have been afraid to support a pay increase for themselves due to fear that they would be blasted by their opponent in the next election campaign, Godfrey has sponsored a bill that would raise the pay by the combined inflation rate over the past 21 years — pushing the new salary to more than $44,000 per year. While some in the general public have a “throw the bums out” attitude, Godfrey says the increased salary would lead to better candidates for office.

Besides the base salary, many lawmakers receive additional money for various leadership and committee positions, as well as unvouchered expenses and mileage reimbursements for driving to Hartford. With everything included, top leaders can receive more than $40,000 per year.

Members of the U.S. Congress, by contrast, receive an annual salary of $174,000 per year, plus benefits and various perks that include everything from travel to use of the Congressional gym that comes complete with a swimming pool and sauna.

Beyond pay, legislators receive a statepaid medical benefits package that is far less expensive for lawmakers than the premiums and co-pays paid by many of their constituents. Godfrey, however, said that health insurance does not pay the rent or the mortgage. Newer lawmakers also do not have the same lucrative pension benefits as their older colleagues because of agreements reached by the State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition that are sharply different from the oldest state employees in the Tier 1 pension system.

Lamont, a Greenwich millionaire who accepts no salary as governor, said Monday that he would sign the pay-raise bill.

“If the legislature comes forward on a bipartisan basis and says it’s been [more than] 15 years since we’ve had a raise, and if you believe, that given the $28,000 ... for a legislator that’s beginning to disqualify a number of people who otherwise would love to be able to serve their state and they can’t because they can’t afford it,’’ Lamont said, “it’s something I would sign if it came to my desk.’’