GOP lawmaker proposes big pay increase for governor, others
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - The governor of Indiana, as well as other top state-level officeholders, would get pay raises worth at least $20,000 apiece under a proposal before the Legislature.
The measure by Republican state Sen. Randy Head, of Logansport, comes as Republican supermajorities in the Statehouse are considering a 10-cents-per-gallon gas tax increase and an additional $15 vehicle registration fee, which would be used to pay for infrastructure improvements.
Head, who is chairman of the Senate's Civil Law committee, said Monday that his pay raise bill will be a tough sell, given the push by GOP leaders for a tax increase.
"Does that complicate things? Absolutely," said Head. "There will be constituents throughout the state who say 'Well, wait a minute. Why is that guy getting a raise if you're taking more money out of my pocket?'"
But he added that salaries for top level offices "are so low that I think we drive away talent from both parties."
Under the measure, the governor's $111,000 yearly salary would increase by about $30,000 in 2021. In a short email, a spokeswoman for Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb said "it's not among the governor's legislative priorities."
The proposed pay increase would not kick in during his current four-year term and Head says he did not consult the governor's office in advance.
The bill would also give at least a $20,000 pay bump, effective next year, to the state's lieutenant governor, secretary of state, auditor, treasurer, attorney general and state schools superintendent. Currently they each make less than $100,000 a year.
As written, the bill would achieve the pay increase by making the governor's salary equal to that of a Marion County circuit court judge, which is $141,311 a year, according to a financial impact note for the measure. The state's other constitutional officeholders would receive annual pay equal to 85 percent of a Marion County circuit court judge's salary.
The bill was debated in the Civil Law committee that Head chairs. But a vote was not taken because several members of the committee want to research changes that they would like to make to the bill first.
A 2015 analysis by the Council of State Governments of governor salaries across the U.S. found Indiana ranks low in pay compared to the average, which is $134,000 a year. As is, the governor of Indiana still earns more than the governor of Maine, the least compensated chief executive of a state, who makes about $70,000, according to the analysis.
Head said he proposed the bill after new Attorney General Curtis Hill pointed out that he made more as a prosecutor near South Bend than he does as the state's top lawyer, where he is paid $94,538 a year.
"We want people to run for public office because the feel called to do the work and they want to do the job for the right reasons - not to get rich," said Head. "But we also don't want the salary to be so low that we drive away good and talented people."