Op-ed: Justification For 40% Legislative Leadership Raises Is Political Voodoo

When doing the people’s will is secondary to legislators’ self-interest, how strong is our democracy? The state Legislature is on the verge of overriding the Governor’s veto of legislation that includes sizable pay raises for state and legislative leaders. Their actions on this front will answer the democracy question.

Since legislators can’t raise their base pay, the hikes are limited to leadership positions in the form of increased legislative stipends. Base pay increases are formulaic and tied to the state’s median household income.

The Boston Globe reported on several questionable aspects of the bill. It contains an “emergency preamble,” which means the raises would take effect immediately. The legislation also includes pay hikes for the judiciary, which, due to a clause in the state Constitution, makes it challenging at best to reverse via initiative petition. And because committee chairs and other leadership positions have not yet been officially selected, legislators don’t need to worry about violating conflict of interest laws for voting on their own financial interests.

In short, this was done swiftly and slickly, without public input and leaving members of the public with little recourse. Read more on WGBH News…

Pioneer in the News: 

The Boston Globe: 16 Mass. state workers made $100,000 or more in overtime pay last year 

The Boston Globe: Mass. reduced state payroll for the first time in years

Boston Herald: Anthony and Haller: State insurer using market clout to curb health costs

The Boston Globe: PRIM and proper? Statehouse leader’s law firm profited from ties to public retirement funds

Related Blog Posts:

Community College Presidential Pay Raises Not Necessarily Based on Merit

1 Comment

/

June 14, 2017

Last year saw some of the highest recorded salaries for presidents…

https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/Dollar-sign-with-line-graph-1.jpg 1414 2121 Charlotte Emslie https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_440x96.png Charlotte Emslie2017-06-14 12:02:542017-06-14 16:20:08Community College Presidential Pay Raises Not Necessarily Based on Merit

Spending on Students: How Does Groton Compare?

0 Comments

/

June 13, 2017

Massachusetts is known for the strength of its K-12 education. …

https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/TeacherReading-1.jpg 416 617 Rebekah Paxton https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_440x96.png Rebekah Paxton2017-06-13 11:06:512017-06-13 11:06:51Spending on Students: How Does Groton Compare?

How You Can Audit Massachusetts’ Pension Boards

0 Comments

/

June 1, 2017

Just recently Kathy Curran led an investigation into Massachusetts…

https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/pensions-1.jpg 424 638 Josh Beck https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_440x96.png Josh Beck2017-06-01 16:17:402017-06-09 10:49:05How You Can Audit Massachusetts’ Pension Boards

Groton’s Tax Base Dilemma

0 Comments

/

May 30, 2017

Among 15 peer municipalities, Groton’s commercial tax yield…

https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/Rubber-stamp-on-tax-form-1.jpg 1527 2290 Rebekah Paxton https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_440x96.png Rebekah Paxton2017-05-30 12:37:372017-05-30 13:13:10Groton’s Tax Base Dilemma

MA Colleges Spend Tens of Thousands in Taxpayer Money on Celebrity Commencement Speakers

0 Comments

/

May 24, 2017

Graduation season is in full swing, and as a hotbed of higher…

https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/woman-with-diploma-1.jpg 266 400 Charlotte Emslie https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_440x96.png Charlotte Emslie2017-05-24 10:00:132017-05-24 10:44:37MA Colleges Spend Tens of Thousands in Taxpayer Money on Celebrity Commencement Speakers

So you want to know something about pensions?

0 Comments

/

April 25, 2017

Now anyone can become a local pension system expert...  A…

https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/Mapensions.png 942 1206 Editorial Staff https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_440x96.png Editorial Staff2017-04-25 11:16:222017-04-25 11:17:39So you want to know something about pensions?

Finance Committee & Town Meeting Members: Benchmarking Tools for the FY2018 Budget Season

March 31, 2017

Understanding how your community performs relative to its peers…

https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/Table.png 569 1097 Editorial Staff https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_440x96.png Editorial Staff2017-03-31 12:15:392017-03-31 12:15:39Finance Committee & Town Meeting Members: Benchmarking Tools for the FY2018 Budget Season

Sunshine Week 2017: Highlights from Pioneer’s Government Transparency Team

March 17, 2017

It's Sunshine Week once again! While it may fall close to spring…

https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/Sunshine.jpg 352 800 Mary Connaughton https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_440x96.png Mary Connaughton2017-03-17 12:58:132017-03-17 15:00:13Sunshine Week 2017: Highlights from Pioneer’s Government Transparency Team

Cursive and Historical Literacy: A Real World Example

0 Comments

/

March 17, 2017

In the age of computers and modern convenience, the relevancy…

https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/DecInd.png 339 771 Alex Carlin https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_440x96.png Alex Carlin2017-03-17 11:34:202022-09-14 15:36:23Cursive and Historical Literacy: A Real World Example

The Clock is Ticking…….

0 Comments

/

February 20, 2017

The clock is ticking towards December 30, 2017.  As part of…

https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/CloseupClock-1.jpg 739 1244 Mary Connaughton https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_440x96.png Mary Connaughton2017-02-20 12:34:192017-02-21 09:47:58The Clock is Ticking…….

Achieving a Sustainable and Transparent Healthcare System

0 Comments

/

February 17, 2017

As the Legislative Special Commission on Provider Price Variation…

https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/healthcare_costs_scrabble.jpg 800 743 Barbara Anthony https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_440x96.png Barbara Anthony2017-02-17 12:54:102021-10-29 15:42:24Achieving a Sustainable and Transparent Healthcare System

Why do Massachusetts municipalities make meeting transparency harder than it has to be?

0 Comments

/

February 6, 2017

Executive session is where local governing boards interview…

https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_440x96.png 0 0 MuckRock https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_440x96.png MuckRock2017-02-06 15:19:352017-02-06 15:19:35Why do Massachusetts municipalities make meeting transparency harder than it has to be?

Auditing the New Transparency Law: Where are the Records Access Officers?

0 Comments

/

January 25, 2017

With the advent of the Baker administration, Massachusetts transparency…

https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/RAO.jpg 1607 2000 Alex Carlin https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_440x96.png Alex Carlin2017-01-25 14:34:182017-01-25 14:38:56Auditing the New Transparency Law: Where are the Records Access Officers?

Our Government Transparency Resolutions for 2017

0 Comments

/

January 20, 2017

Although transparency was the expression of choice on Beacon…

https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/SBA.jpg 512 640 Mary Connaughton https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_440x96.png Mary Connaughton2017-01-20 09:00:182017-01-19 16:05:01Our Government Transparency Resolutions for 2017

A look at Massachusetts updated public records legislation

0 Comments

/

October 17, 2016

 A version of this article appeared on MuckRock. In September,…

https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/Galvin.jpg.1200x400_q85_crop.jpg 400 1200 Michael Morisy https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_440x96.png Michael Morisy2016-10-17 12:28:122017-03-16 12:58:41A look at Massachusetts updated public records legislation

UMass Amherst Athletics’ Spending: Costing the Taxpayer Money

0 Comments

/

August 18, 2016

College sports have long been a major and growing attraction…

https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/UMass.jpg 667 1000 Eric Sporel https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_440x96.png Eric Sporel2016-08-18 14:42:432016-08-18 14:42:43UMass Amherst Athletics’ Spending: Costing the Taxpayer Money

How Legislators’ Late Session Scramble affects Government Transparency

0 Comments

/

August 15, 2016

Now that there has been sufficient time for experts and the media…

https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/MAlegislature.jpg 368 652 Eric Sporel https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_440x96.png Eric Sporel2016-08-15 09:46:112016-08-15 10:51:57How Legislators’ Late Session Scramble affects Government Transparency

What do Property Taxes Mean for your Town?

0 Comments

/

August 11, 2016

Earlier this year, the Boston Globe published an article comparing…

https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/property-tax.jpg 567 847 Thejasa Jayachandran https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_440x96.png Thejasa Jayachandran2016-08-11 10:50:292021-10-29 15:29:24What do Property Taxes Mean for your Town?