Pennsylvania’s lawmakers, judges and Governor are set to accept an automatic 2.8% pay raise even as the Governor warns of severe state budget cuts because of a $1-$2 billion shortfall and cautions that he doesn’t “want to hear any whining.”
The pay raise comes as the result of a 1995 law that mandates cost-of-living adjustments. Rank and file legislators base pay goes up to $78,315 (the fourth-highest in the nation), and the Governor’s pay is estimated to increase to $174,956.
Rendell has suspended executive branch pay raises in the past and may or may not do so this year, but the lawmakers’ attorneys say they “have no right to forgo the raise.” Darned convenient.
In the meantime, as the salaries for those who create fiscal problems go up, those who have to execute their doomed plans are being warned to expect deep cuts and those who have to pay for them are starting to be warmed up for a “broad-based tax increase.” Raising taxes in a recession. Where have I heard that before?
“We are going to do everything we can to get through this with as little harm as possible, but I also want to remind people that the cuts are coming, and I don’t want to hear any whining,” Rendell said.
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Rendell added that he hoped to avoid imposing a “general, broad-based tax increase” to balance the budget either this year or in the 2009-10 fiscal year, but could make no guarantees.
Yeah, “Gosh, I hope I don’t have to impose a tax increase. Oops. I guess I did have to. Sorry. I had to.”
