House hands out raises to staff

The Oklahoma House has given out nearly $127,000 in raises to 14 employees since Jan. 1.

The largest pay increase was $20,000, according to information provided by the state Office of Management and Enterprise Services. That was a 30 percent increase, according to OMES.

The smallest hike in pay was $2,830, according to the agency.

The money came out of the House of Representatives’ appropriated operating budget, said Jason Sutton, a spokesman for House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka.

“House committee staff, particularly staff attorneys and fiscal analysts, have been paid below market value relative to the state agencies for many years,” Sutton said.

“The House routinely loses professional staff, and corresponding experience and institutional knowledge, to the executive branch because the agencies pay more.”

The pay hikes in the House come at a time when lawmakers are being asked to consider tax hikes on tobacco and fuel to fund core services and provide a pay raise for teachers.

The state has also faced several years of budget holes and cuts to agencies.

The raises were a surprise to the Oklahoma Education Association and Oklahoma Public Employees Association, which are seeking pay

increases for teachers and state employees.

Alicia Priest, Oklahoma Education Association president, said it was her understanding the raises were given to keep good, quality staff.

“I would press them that the same is true for educators and educational support professionals in the state of Oklahoma,” Priest said.

“Teachers and support professionals deserve a raise that will keep them in the classroom or driving the school bus or staffing the office.”

Tom Dunning, a spokesman for the Oklahoma Public Employees Association, said his organization does not question whether or not the House employees were underpaid.

“What we are concerned about is there appears to be one standard for what happens at

the Capitol and another for state agencies,” Dunning said.

He also questioned the timing of the raises when many state employees have gone years without a pay hike.

Sutton said that since December, the House has lost both a deputy fiscal director and parliamentarian to higher-paying jobs in state agencies.

“That was more than 30 years of experience and knowledge that cannot be easily replaced, if at all,” Sutton said.

“The House has a relatively small professional staff serving 101 lawmakers, and we believe it is important to maintain continuity and experience to best serve the state.”

The Senate has not given out any raises since Jan. 1, said Aaron Cooper, a spokesman for Senate President Pro Tem Mike Schulz, R-Altus.