Photos
For many lawmakers, the pay waivers are an echo of the 3 percent pay cuts that they voted to ratify for most state employees in the two-year budget cycle that began July 1. But rank-and-file lawmakers earn just $42,106 a year, top Senate and House leaders earn $50,106, and reductions are clearly more symbolic than substantive in cutting government costs.
Similarly many lawmakers chose not to take $90 per day expense allotments during the last special legislative session.
The most recent addition to the pay-cut list in the Senate is Republican Sen. Mike Carrell of Lakewood. In the House, new requests came in from Reps. Hunter, D-Medina; Mark Hargrove, R-Covington; Terry Nealey, R-Dayton; Zack Hudgins, D-Tukwila; Katrina Asay, R-Milton; and Steve Tharinger, D-Sequim.
Overall, not quite half of the 147-member Legislature has signed on. Hold-outs include two top budget writers – Democratic Sen. Ed Murray of Seattle and Republican Sen. Joseph Zarelli of Ridgefield. Murray has objected to lowering pay, believing that lower pay would lead to an even less diverse group of representatives – leaving mainly wealthier people able to serve in Olympia.
Zarelli and others believe the citizen commission that sets salaries should lower the pay evenly for all lawmakers, and he sponsored a constitutional amendment to empower the commission to do just that. Zarelli is expected to sponsor another measure next year.
Here is the list of 22 pay-waiving lawmakers in the 49-member Senate:
2. Mike Hewitt, R-Walla Walla
3. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, D-Seattle
4. Christine Rolfes, D-Bainbridge
5. Scott White, D-Seattle
6. Lisa Brown, D-Spokane
7. Steve Hobbs, D-Lake Stevens
8. Steve Litzow, R-Bellevue
9. Joe Fain, R-Auburn
10. Michael Baumgartner, R-Spokane
11. Derek Kilmer, D-Gig Harbor
12. Don Benton, R-Vancouver
13. Karen Fraser, D-Olympia
14. Curtis King, R-Yakima
15. Jeff Baxter, R-Spokane
16. Steve Conway, D-Tacoma
17. Randi Becker, R-Eatonville
18. Paull Shin, D- Mukilteo
19. Andy Hill, R-Redmond
20. Doug Ericksen, R-Ferndale
21. Kevin Ranker, D-Friday Harbor
22. Mike Carrell, R-Lakewood
Here is the list of 44 pay waivers in the 98-member House:
2. Troy Kelley, D-Tacoma
3. Larry Seaquist, D-Gig Harbor
4. Ann Rivers, R-LaCenter
5. Bruce Dammeier, R-Puyallup
6. Christopher Hurst, D-Enumclaw
7. Michael Sells, D-Everett
8. Tina Orwall, D-Normandy Park
9. Reuven Carlyle, D-Seattle
10. Barbara Bailey, R-Oak Harbor
11. Kevin Van De Wege, D-Sequim
12. J.T. Wilcox, R-Yelm
13. David Frockt, D-Seattle
14. Gary Alexander, R-Thurston County
15. Norma Smith, R-Clinton
16. Hans Zeiger, R-Edgewood
17. Andy Billig, D-Spokane
18. Susan Fagan, R-Pullman
19. Kathy Haigh, D-Shelton
20. Sharon Wylie, D-Vancouver
21. Laurie Jinkins, D-Tacoma
22. Ruth Kagi, D-Lake Forest Park
23. Larry Haler, R-Richland
24. Bradley Klippert, R-Kennewick
25. Roger Goodman, D-Kirkland
26. Patrick Sullivan, D-Covington
27. Joe Schmick, R-Colfax
28. Charles Ross, R-Naches
29. Norman Johnson, R-Yakima
30. Kevin Parker, R-Spokane
31. Kirk Pearson, R-Monroe
32. Phyllis Gutierrez Kenney, D-Seattle
33. Chris Reykdal, D-Tumwater
34. Paul Harris, R-Vancouver
35. Richard DeBolt, R-Chehalis
36. Sam Hunt, D-Olympia
37. Tammy Green, D-Pierce County
38. Kristine Lytton, D-Anacortes
39. Mark Hargrove, R-Covington
40. Terry Nealey, R-Dayton
41. Zack Hudgins, D-Tukwila
42. Ross Hunter, D-Medina
43. Katrina Asay, R-Milton
44. Steve Tharinger, D-Sequim
[NOTE: Chopp, Kelley, Seaquist and Van De Wege requested cuts of at least 5 percent.]
For those who don’t know the background of this mini-saga, go here for The Olympian’s first report that spurred lawmakers into action.
For background on salary setting rules in Washington go here.
For more on lawmakers’ actions go here, here, here, here and here.
