PRESS RELEASE
Office of State Representative Mark Parkinson
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT: Nick Haynes
November 20, 2014 (573) 751-2949; nick.haynes@house.mo.gov
Representative Parkinson Criticizes Proposed Pay Raise
for Elected Officials
SAINT CHARLES COUNTY, MO – State Representative Mark Parkinson (R-105) today promised
to oppose a recommended pay increase for statewide elected officials and legislators, after news on the
upcoming report from the Missouri Citizens’ Commission on Compensation for Elected Officials.
While the commission has yet to issue its formal recommendations, members of the commission have
told media that they have suggested an 8 percent pay raise for most statewide elected officials in both
fiscal years 2016 and 2017. Depending on the office, this raise would equal between $9,500 and
$22,000 per year. The commission has also recommended a $4,000 increase in salary for each
member of the General Assembly, equivalent to an 11 percent increase in pay. In addition, the
commission has also recommended a 26 percent increase in daily expense compensation and a 50
percent increase in mileage compensation.
In response, Parkinson will file a concurrent resolution to block the recommendations from taking
place. Issuing the following statement, Parkinson said:
“My constituents didn’t send me to Jefferson City because they felt I needed a comfortable
living, nicer clothes, or a bigger house. They sent me to Jefferson City because I promised to
make the same responsible choices with our state budget that I would make with my own
household budget. Our state has a number of priorities that need to be funded every year.
Finding over $1.3 million dollars so that we can give pay raises to our statewide elected officials
and our legislators is not one of those priorities.”
“Unfortunately, the Missouri Constitution gives us very little leeway to reject the
recommendations of the Commission, but I will use what little leeway it does give and do
everything in my power to make sure that these irresponsible pay hikes do not go into effect.”
Several representatives have expressed interest in joining Parkinson’s concurrent resolution to reject
the pay increase. Under the Missouri Constitution, the pay increase recommendations take effect
automatically unless two-thirds of the General Assembly approves a concurrent resolution to reject the
recommendations by February 1, 2015.
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