Montgomery, AL – Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh says he and the Senate's 21 other Republicans won't accept the Legislature's automatic 1.5 percent cost-of-living raise, but they're not agreeing to give up a much larger pay hike.
Marsh says the Senate Republican Caucus made the decision Tuesday.
He says Senate Republicans believe a raise is inappropriate when both state budgets have been cut. But Marsh says the caucus was unable to agree on any other strategy involving legislative pay.
The Legislature approved a 61 percent raise in 2007 and provided for automatic annual increases each April. The new increase provides for a 1.5 percent raise worth $792 anually. It pushes the total compensation to $53,438 for a typical legislative year.
Marsh never accepted the 2007 raise or any of the annual increases.
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