An independent commission wants to more-than-double legislative salaries and give raises to most of Arkansas' constitutional officers and judges. The Independent Citizens Commission on Friday gave preliminary approval to new salaries.
A formal vote is set for Monday and a final vote will occur March 5. The panel is recommending increasing legislators' pay from $15,869 a year to $39,400. The panel also suggests elliminating $14,000 in reimbursements that lawmakers can currently receive. The panel also wants to increase salaries for all constitutional officers except the lieutenant governor.
The governor would see pay jump from $87,759 to $141,000. Many judges and all of the Supreme Court's justices would see a raise, too. Voters created the pay commission as part of a constitutional amendment extending term limits and imposing tougher ethics rules.
