Typical: Virginia Democrats Are Addressing Affordability Issues by Nearly Tripling Their Own Pay
The article examines Virginia’s new state budget, pushed through by Democrats, which includes a near-300 percent pay raise for lawmakers—from about $17,600–$18,000 for delegates and senators to roughly $45,000—plus stipends for per diem, meeting attendance, and office maintenance. by contrast, teachers would receive only a 3 percent pay raise. The piece argues that, although the actual salary numbers aren’t astronomical, the overall package still represents a substantial increase when combined with the various benefits, especially given the legislature’s short, part-time 60-day session. It notes the political optics: democrats have championed affordability as their core issue,but a large self-pay increase for lawmakers undermines that message and public trust. The article ties this to broader political dynamics, including Virginia and national discourse on affordability, and suggests that self-enrichment at the expense of ordinary costs weakens the credibility of fiscal empathy claims. It concludes by urging restraint and pointing out that voters are likely to notice the contrast between lawmakers’ pay raises and the modest gains for educators.
As sure as the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, if there’s one thing you can set your watch to, it’s the political elite lining their own pockets.
While this is undoubtedly an issue infesting a chunk of American politics, it does seem to be an issue that’s a little more closely intertwined with the Democratic Party (See: Pelosi, Nancy).
That ugly reputation resurfaced again this week when Virginia’s Democrat-controlled Senate and House of Delegates passed the former’s version of the state budget on Thursday, according to WJLA-TV.
Included in this budget? A tidy, near-300 percent pay raise for the state’s lawmakers.
Now, to be completely fair, the actual numbers aren’t eye-watering. Nobody is suddenly making six figures, or even coming close to it.
Delegates will now go from making $17,640 to $45,000 annually, while senators will go from making $18,000 to also $45,000 annually, according to WTVF-FM, a public radio station in Roanoke.
Still, that will obviously add up once you start adding up the total number of lawmakers. And considering the official session of the legislature is only 60 days (though lawmakers obviously do work outside the session, too), it’s not bad pay for a supposedly part-time job.
Legislators will also receive $237 per diem, $300 to attend a meeting — $400 for two meetings in a day — and $1,250 per month to maintain their offices. So, yeah, it’ll add up.
The optics of this already aren’t great given the general squeeze many Americans are feeling, especially around tax season. But those optics got exponentially worse when that same budget allotted a whopping 3 percent pay raise for teachers. Is it even an argument as to what’s more important: America’s educators or bureaucratic fat cats?
Now, while this budget will have to be signed by the Old Dominion’s hyper-progressive Democratic governor, Abigail Spanberger, it seems all but assured that she will go along, given the way the budget passed along party lines.
And that’s really the rub here. Democrats — in Virginia and nationally — have made “affordability” their North Star message, warning about grocery bills, housing costs and the everyday squeeze on working families.
In fact, Spanberger delivered the official Democratic response to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address on Tuesday — made the “affordability” theme a dominant part of it.
Yet when handed the pen, the Virginia Democratic Party’s first instinct wasn’t to meaningfully boost the people shaping the next generation, but to triple their own salaries in one fell swoop.
You can dress it up as modernization or argue that lawmakers deserve competitive pay to attract “qualified” candidates. Fine. Have that debate.
But don’t expect voters to ignore the glaring contrast between a near-300 percent raise for politicians and a 3 percent nod to teachers who are actually in the trenches every day.
When politicians award themselves a windfall while preaching fiscal empathy to everyone else, it reinforces every cynical suspicion Americans already harbor about government.
“We feel your pain” rings hollow when the relief seems to start at the Capitol and trickle down in pennies.
If Democrats truly want to own the affordability mantle, they might consider leading with restraint instead of self-reward.
Because nothing undercuts a cost-of-living crusade faster than voting to pad your own paycheck — and expecting voters not to notice.
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