By John McClaughry
My friend Tom Koch, who served ably for many years in the Vermont house, noted last week that “the Vermont Senate has voted 19-10 to pass S.39, “An act relating to compensation and benefits for members of the Vermont General Assembly.”
The bill provides for huge increases in legislative pay. And since there is always an explanation for doing the wrong thing, the justification given for passing this bill is to make it easier for young working people, single mothers, and others to serve in the legislature without making a huge financial sacrifice.
“Beginning January 2025, legislative pay will go from $811.00 per week in session to $1,000.00 — a 23% increase! That will be followed by a further increase, to $1,100.00 per week, as of January 2026 — another 10%. And each of these increases is augmented by “an adjustment consistent with the compensation increase provided to other constitutional officers” for those years. The bill also has a totally new provision — compensation for one day per week while the legislature is in adjournment — generally from late May until the first week in January! This is because legislators have “constituent work” to do, such as answering phone calls and attending public meetings that they don’t otherwise get paid for! In addition, each legislator is entitled to reimbursement for meals for each day the legislature is in session at $69.00 per day.
We are about to get the professional legislature Vermonters shouldn’t have to support.
John McClaughry is vice president of the Ethan Allen Institute. Reprinted with permission from the Ethan Allen Institute Blog.
Ladies and gentleman,
What we are witnessing here is the early stages of moving eventually toward full time Legislator positions! What a joke! We are are state of approx. 640000 citizens, with a relatively small land mass (as compared to other states), and a part time legislative session that I believe to be about 4 + months currently.
For those who chose to serve, and I respect all who chose to do so, they serve knowing that they will not lose their “regular jobs” nor their other employer provided benefits, as employers are required to honor such while their employees serve as part time legislators.
I believe the legislative session should be no longer than 2-3 months, which should be sufficient time to address the highest priority issues affecting the citizens, and business matters of the State. We hear that some 500 potential bills either get submitted or talked about every year. Perhaps there should be some type of process and requirements to qualify such to even be put on a list to consider. My sense is that what gets focussed on are the results of political power, arm twisting, back room deals, lobbyist and donor financial pressures, and not on what is important to or how such bills affect the citizens of Vermont which should be the purpose of legislators.
Vermont has “Part Time” Legislators, and this must remain.
Boosting compensation for legislators should be a non-starter, and should be trashed A.S.A.P.
I do believe our legislators need an increase in compensation – BUT now is definitely not the time for such a proposal. I was approached to run and found the burden of time away from my children and the financial compensation just not feasible for my family. A good legislator is not just working while in session, they are taking the time to understand what the needs of their constituents are. Town meetings, selectboard meetings, open forum, surveying at the local general store….. time understanding what the people of their district need and want. It is nearly impossible for the average Vermonter to be involved in state politics, so we have representatives who are not in touch with what Vermonters actually want and need. We have a never ending stream of legislation based on making Vermont first in being “green”, without any consideration for the population that lives and works here. If we want to have realistic common sense legislators we need to make it feasible for them to run….
Yeah, the “don’t forget category” all the health care, gasoline reimbursement, room rentals, on TOP of the raises,,,so yes, we be getting a “professional” legislature alright, WE pay more for more of NOTHING,,,,sad indeed
Pay should be determined by how they legislate to make VT a better more livable state. In the case of the leftist commies they have only moved us closer to WORSE state in every category and should get NO raise. It’s called performance pay raise and we all have to live by it and so should they…