05/15/2007: "State Salary Commission Wants Your Comments"

Do you think state officials are paid too much, or not enough? There is an opportunity to share your views on the subject directly with those who decide such things; and you can do it right now with an email or a phone call.

Most of us know the SJC Charter provided for a local Salary Commission to set county salaries, but the idea of a group of citizens determining salary levels for elected officials started at the state level, and today the Washington Citizens' Commission on Salaries for Elected Officials (Commission) will hold a public hearing to take testimony on the Proposed 2007-08 Salary Schedule for the state's elected officials.

The Commission, a 16-member citizen commission, sets the salaries of the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Treasurer, Auditor, Attorney General, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Commissioner of Public Lands, and Insurance Commissioner; members of the Legislature; and Justices of the Supreme Court and judges of the Court of Appeals and Superior Courts and District Courts.

While the meeting will be held today (May 15th 9:00 a.m) in Seattle, public comment, and involvement in the salary setting process, is welcome and encouraged, and can be accomplished in any of the following ways:

• Email to: TWright@salaries.wa.gov
• Mail to: Salary Commission, PO Box 43120, Olympia, WA 98504-3120
• Phone to: (360) 725-5669, 725-5670, or toll free 1-866-809-8116
• Fax to: (360) 586-7544

Items on the agenda include but are not limited to:

• Presentation: Senior Economic Forecaster of the Washington Forecast Council
• Presentation: Manager of the Compensation Division Depart. of Personnel
• Public Testimony
• Work Session
• Adoption of the Final 2007-08 Salary Schedule

Statute requires the salaries of the state's elected officials to be based on realistic standards in order to pay them according to the duties of their offices and to attract citizens of the highest quality to public service.

The Commission is required to adopt a two-year salary schedule and to file that schedule with the Secretary of State not later than the first Monday in June.

The salary schedule becomes law 90 days after filing unless overturned by voter referendum.

For more information, visit their web site at http://www.salaries.wa.gov/ .