California office holders facing pay cuts

November 21, 2012

California elected officials from governor to legislator will see their pay cut by thousands of dollars next month under decisions made by appointees of former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. [KansasCityStar]

On Dec. 3, Gov. Jerry Brown’s pay will drop to $165,288 and legislators will be paid $90,526.

Charles Murray, a Schwarzenegger appointee on the commission, said he expects labor unions to gain clout with the upcoming super majority– and for the seven-member panel to start raising officials’ salaries once California’s budget deficit ends.

“Everything is going to swing the other way,” he said to the Kansas City Star.

The panel voted to make the pay cut in May. At the time Brown said, “I’d run for governor whether it was a paid job or not.”

Next month’s reductions slash $8,699 from Brown’s annual salary and legislators will lose $4,765.

December’s pay cut of 5 percent follows an 18 percent reduction in officeholder salaries and fringe benefits in 2009, and elimination of the Legislature’s car-lease program in late 2011.

Even with the cuts, California lawmakers’ $90,526 salary leads the nation in base pay, trailed by Pennsylvania, $82,026 and New York, $79,500, according to a 2012 survey by the National Conference of State Legislatures.