The Commonwealth’s budget came 135 days late.
On December 1, Pennsylvania state lawmakers received a 3.25% pay raise. Their base salary is now $113,575.
The base salary for Pennsylvania’s legislators is significantly higher than the national pay average for state lawmakers, which sits at $47,904 according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
The only states whose lawmakers have a higher salary are New York and California. In New York, lawmakers receive a base pay of $142,000. In California, they make at least $132,703.
Pennsylvania’s lawmakers receive a pay increase automatically, without a vote.
Governor Josh Shapiro also received a pay raise, which will increase his annual pay from $245,760 to $253,747.
For 135 days, the Commonwealth was without a budget. Lawmakers entered tense negotiations that led to a long budgetary stalemate, causing pain across school districts and nonprofit organizations especially.
Entities across the state were forced to make staff reductions and take out high-interest loans in the absence of the state funding they rely on for daily operations.
The automatic pay raises are triggered by a state law that was passed by the General Assembly in 1995 that requires annual cost of living increases for state lawmakers, the governor, and other state officials.
On top of the automatic pay raises, the Commonwealth does not restrict lawmakers from having multiple jobs. There are also limited restrictions in place when it comes to gifts and campaign donations.
Representative Russ Diamond, a Republican from Lebanon County, has spoken out against the automatic cost of living pay raises for state lawmakers.
“I think the automatic thing has gotten a little bit out of hand. I think if we are going to get a pay raise, it ought to be voted on,” said Diamond.
He co-sponsors bills every session to eliminate the automatic cost of living adjustments for legislators.
