I would like to voice a contrasting view to the general idea that the pay of legislators should be reduced, which has become common since the pay commission recommended a cut that the Legislature rejected. It doesn’t make sense to pay the Legislature on the cheap, then complain that we don’t get the outcomes we want.
Including per diem, even with a special session, the total compensation for a legislator is not excessive, and arguably is low for the amount and kind of work they do, and for the qualities we want. A good legislator should be close to the people, but also should be honest, intelligent, compassionate, creative, charismatic, good at negotiation and capable of solving difficult problems. A person with these characteristics is highly sought after everywhere in the economy, and has many employment options that pay much better than legislating. And these other jobs don’t involve close scrutiny of every action, constant public criticism and even vilification by numerous opponents, extended travel away from family and reelection every 2-4 years.
Legislators are accountable to us at the ballot box; if we are unhappy that they don’t finish their work on time, that should be a campaign issue, not a payroll issue. In the rest of the economy, it’s widely accepted that “you get what you pay for.” Let’s not be “penny wise and pound foolish.” Let’s invest in a quality Legislature.
— Harold Johnston
Anchorage
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