State Senate Rejects Pay Raises For Governor, Commissioners

The Alaska State Senate has voted to reject pay raises for the governor and his commissioners.

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The decision was rooted in politics as well as policy. Sen. Kevin Meyer, an Anchorage Republican, carried the bill, and he said the salary recommendations from the State Officers Compensation Commission were appropriate. But:

MEYER: It’s just in these times of tight budgets and deficit spending, we cannot afford these recommendations at this time.

The state is facing a $2 billion shortfall, and the pay raises would cost over $200,000.

The bill was approved unanimously and now needs a vote from the House.

Gov. Sean Parnell has already said he would refuse to take a pay raise, but that he thought his cabinet deserved a salary hike.