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Press Release: Statement from State Rep. Dwight Scharnhorst Regarding Proposed Pay Increases for Elected Officials

NEWS From the Office of

Representative Dwight Scharnhorst

 

98th District

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Dec. 2, 2014

 

 

CONTACT:  Rep. Dwight Scharnhorst

                                    573-751-4392

 

     

Statement from State Rep. Dwight Scharnhorst

Regarding Proposed Pay Increases for Elected Officials

 

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – State Rep. Dwight Scharnhorst today responded to the recommended pay raises for Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon, state lawmakers and other statewide officials by the Missouri Citizens’ Commission on Compensation for Elected Officials.

 

The governor finally met his constitutional obligation and appointed members to the commission after Scharnhorst and state Rep. Pat Conway requested an opinion on the matter from Attorney General Chris Koster earlier this month. The commission then met and recommended several raises for the governor and other statewide officials over two years, including raising the daily expense compensation and mileage reimbursement amount.

 

“We are not in favor of any of the increases advocated by the commission,” said Scharnhorst, R-St. Louis, who pointed out that he felt a salary increase for state employees should be put in place long before any increases are given to state legislators.

 

He added, “Any increase in the per diem allowance to state legislators would be unfair and unreasonable. The request for the commission to meet was instigated by need to look into the mileage reimbursement rates for state legislators. We appreciate the governor finally taking action, but giving the commission one week to study this issue before making its recommendation is not how this process is meant to work.”

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