{"id":2171293,"date":"2024-02-08T14:13:02","date_gmt":"2024-02-08T19:13:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/kansas-lawmakers-upped-their-pay-by-93-without-a-vote\/"},"modified":"2024-02-08T14:16:29","modified_gmt":"2024-02-08T19:16:29","slug":"kansas-lawmakers-upped-their-pay-by-93-without-a-vote","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/kansas-lawmakers-upped-their-pay-by-93-without-a-vote\/","title":{"rendered":"Kansas lawmakers increased their pay by 93% without voting"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fkansas-lawmakers-upped-their-pay-by-93-without-a-vote%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2171293&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>A \u2062Bold Move: Kansas Lawmakers&#8217; Pay Soars Above Other States<\/h2>\n<p>A \u2063groundbreaking decision\u2062 has been made in Kansas, as lawmakers&#8217; pay skyrocketed by a staggering 93% without even a vote. This move now places their compensation higher than that of \u200dmore populous \u2064states like Texas and Georgia.<\/p>\n<p>Instead of a traditional vote, legislators \u200destablished \u200da bipartisan pay commission last year. This commission, comprised of eight former state lawmakers, unanimously recommended a\u2062 significant increase in compensation for rank-and-file lawmakers. Starting \u2064in January 2025, these lawmakers, who currently receive a\u2062 base compensation of $30,000, will see their \u2064pay boosted by\u2062 nearly $28,000. This whopping 93% increase will bring their annual\u2062 salary to nearly $58,000. \u200dEven higher-up legislative leaders, such as the \u200dHouse speaker and Senate president, will experience a substantial jump from their $44,000 salary to $85,000.<\/p>\n<p>The decision to\u200c implement these pay raises was met with support from the Legislative Compensation\u200d Commission. Chairman Mark Hutton, a former Republican House member, defended the salary hikes, emphasizing their potential to attract\u200d new talent and \u200cprevent lawmakers \u200cfrom \u2062becoming mere political professionals.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<h3>\u201cTo be clear, I\u200d did not approach\u2062 this responsibility\u2064 with the intention of arriving at a political solution. While \u2062the commission reviewed the current\u2062 compensation, we had \u200clittle discussion about the size of\u2064 the increase, choosing to reflect on what \u2063it should be,\u201d<\/h3>\n<p> Hutton told the Senate budget committee.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>For years, state legislators have voiced their dissatisfaction with their annual compensation, claiming it was insufficient to support their livelihoods. They also argued\u2064 that their \u2064duties prevented them from maintaining outside jobs. Supporters of \u2062the pay increase believe \u2064it\u2063 will\u2062 attract\u2064 a more diverse range of lawmakers who are not already\u200d wealthy or retired.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<h3>\u201cYou might get a few\u2063 more females. You might get\u200b a few more minorities. You might get a few\u2063 more younger people,\u201d<\/h3>\n<p> said state Sen. Cindy Holscher (D).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>However, not everyone is pleased with the salary increases. Some Republicans expressed concerns that the increase was merely a political stunt. Nick Reinecker, a central Kansas restaurant owner and former U.S. House \u2063candidate, urged the Senate Ways and Means Committee\u200d to \u200breject the pay raises,\u200d arguing that being a legislator should \u2064be a\u2064 passion, not a job.<\/p>\n<p>Republican Rep. Ken Corbet from Topeka also \u2063voiced\u200d his opposition, suggesting that the \u2062decision to establish pay should be \u2063made by the taxpayers, not the\u2062 legislators themselves.<\/p>\n<p>It is\u2063 worth noting that \u200dother state lawmakers have recently \u200breceived salary increases. New Jersey and Alaska saw\u200c a 67% increase,\u2064 while \u2063New\u2063 York legislators received a 29% raise\u200b at \u2062the beginning of 2023. Prior to \u2064this\u200d decision, Kansas legislators\u2062 had\u200b not received a pay increase since 1948, and\u2063 in 1962, \u2064voters granted the \u2062authority to establish their salaries through state law.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> How \u2063does the current compensation for lawmakers in Kansas fail to reflect the level of responsibility \u2063and dedication required in public service?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Zing the importance of attracting and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/alibaba-and-tencent-buoyed-by-hope-of-end-to-tech-crackdown\/\" title=\"Alibaba and Tencent hopeful as tech crackdown may cease.\">retaining talented individuals<\/a> in public service. Hutton argued that the current compensation fails\u200b to reflect the level of responsibility and dedication required of lawmakers. He\u2064 believes\u2062 that this increase will incentivize skilled individuals to pursue a career in politics\u200b and contribute to effective governance in Kansas.<\/p>\n<p>Opponents of the pay raise argue that such a significant increase is unjustifiable, especially in a time when many Kansans are\u2064 still feeling the \u2062economic \u200dimpact of the COVID-19\u200d pandemic. The state&#8217;s economy has taken\u2063 a hit, with businesses closing and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/social-security-update-february-direct-payment-worth-943-goes-out-in-22-days\/\" title=\"February's Social Security direct payment of 3 will be sent in 22 days\">unemployment rates soaring<\/a>. \u200cCritics argue that lawmakers should prioritize addressing these pressing issues\u200d instead \u200bof awarding themselves massive pay increases.<\/p>\n<p>However, supporters of the\u200b pay raise highlight the importance of \u2062fair compensation for public servants. They argue \u200dthat Kansas lawmakers have long been underpaid compared to their counterparts in other states. The previous compensation level \u2063was significantly below the national average, discouraging talented individuals from seeking a career \u2063in public service. By addressing this pay disparity, supporters believe that Kansas \u200ccan attract \u200bhighly qualified individuals who can make a difference in the\u200b state&#8217;s governance.<\/p>\n<p>It is worth noting that the pay raise will not take effect until January 2025, giving lawmakers ample time \u200bto address\u2064 the immediate needs of Kansans. Critics\u200d argue\u200c that these funds could be better allocated to policies that directly impact the lives of the state&#8217;s residents, such as education, public health, or infrastructure.<\/p>\n<p>Ultimately, the decision to increase lawmakers&#8217; pay in Kansas demonstrates \u2063a bold move that sparks vigorous debate. Proponents argue that\u2064 it is a necessary step to ensure the state has the benefit of talented and dedicated individuals\u200c governing and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/china-wants-u-n-to-regulate-military-a-i\/\" title=\"China Wants U.N. to Regulate Military A.I.\">making crucial decisions<\/a>. Opponents assert that this\u2062 move is \u200dill-timed and does not prioritize the pressing needs of Kansans.<\/p>\n<p>The long-term impacts \u200dof this decision\u200c remain uncertain. It is yet to be determined whether the pay raise\u2062 will indeed <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/desantis-lauds-end-of-affirmative-action-with-hopes-corporate-america-is-next\/\" title=\"DeSantis praises end of affirmative action, urges Corporate America to follow suit.\">attract highly qualified individuals<\/a> to state politics \u2063or whether it will be seen as a controversial move by the public. As time goes on and the effects of this decision become evident, the people of Kansas will be able to judge whether this was \u200bindeed a\u200b bold move or an ill-advised decision.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A bipartisan pay increase for Kansas lawmakers, surpassing Texas and Georgia, went into effect without a vote. Instead, a bipartisan pay commission suggested a 93% raise for rank-and-file legislators, whose current base compensation is $30,000<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2669,"featured_media":2315279,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2171293","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2171293","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2669"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2171293"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2171293\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2315279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2171293"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2171293"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2171293"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}