Republicans, Democrats negotiate lawmakers’ pay raises
HARTFORD — Republicans and Democrats on Monday were in negotiations over possibly raising the $28,000 base pay of state lawmakers who last had a salary adjustment more than 20 years ago.
In an election year, it could be a politically fraught issue, but both sides seem more amenable to a late-session agreement to bring base pay up to about $44,000.
But Gov. Ned Lamont, during an early afternoon news conference in the Capitol to discuss the new state budget numbers, said if a pay-raise bill can get support from both sides of the aisle, he would support it.
The two caucuses in the House and Senate scheduled closed-door afternoon caucuses on the proposal, which would also realign the pay of constitutional officers — governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of the state, attorney general, comptroller and state treasurer — to the nearly $200,000 made by Superior Court judges.
It was unlikely to reach the House floor for debate on Monday night, as the evening’s business focused on the $24.2 state budget to take effect on July 1..
Speaker of the House Matt Ritter, House Majority Leader Jason Rojas and House Minority Leader Vincent Candelora said there was support for the raises, since in recent years the part-time legislature has become more of a full-time job.
“Most people think we’re making over $100,000 a year,” Candelora, R-North Branford, told reporters outside the House chamber. “We’re seeing a lot of retirements this year. People can’t afford to be up here. I don’t think legislators should have to take a vow of poverty when they choose to be a public servant, so I think we’re going to have that conversation.”
In recent weeks, lawmakers have announced they would not seek reelection because of the low salary, including 10year veteran Rep. David Arconti, D-Danbury, and fourth-term Rep. Joe De la Cruz, D-Groton.
“It’s amazing sometimes what can spark a consideration of things,” Ritter told reporters before the start of the legislative work day. “Future pay hikes would be linked to the biennial cost-of-living.”
At the start of the session in February, Rep. Bob Godfrey, D-Danbury, who was first elected to the House in 1988, filed a bill that would raise the base pay of lawmakers to $44,079.37, but the bill died after a public hearing, an apparent victim of election-year politics. But
Ritter, D-Hartford, and Rojas, D-East Hartford, said if a deal is reached, it would become a standalone bill.
The pay for constitutional officers is $110,000, while the governor receives $150,000, although Gov. Ned Lamont has not taken a paycheck since taking office in January 2019.
“I think there’s a real case to be made that what the attorney general makes, compared to a Superior Court judge, doesn’t make sense,” Ritter said. “I got back to what I’ve always said: We need Republican votes and if I do not have those, we would probably not run it.”
Lawmakers also receive health insurance and unvouchered expenses of $5,500 a year for senators and $4,500 for House members. Committee members are paid $30,403; House majority and Senate minority leaders
make $36,835; and House speaker and Senate president pro tempore make $38,689.
Lamont said he would favor a bipartisan agreement on salary adjustments. “If you believe that given the $28,000 or $32,000 base that’s for legislators is beginning to
disqualify a number of people who’d otherwise love to be able to serve their state and they can’t because they can’t afford it, it’s something I would sign if it comes to my desk.”