NJ Spotlight News spoke with NorthJersey.com columnist Charles Stile about his report that New Jersey lawmakers are considering pay raises for themselves, as well as for judges and cabinet officials. The proposed package — likely for vote in the current lame-duck session — would almost double legislators’ pay, from $49,000 to $85,000 annually.
“You have a lot of legislators in the lame-duck that their careers are over either because they retired or because they lost, and they no longer have to face the wrath of voters,” Stile said. “So, they can hold their noses with one hand and pull the lever ‘yes’ with the other.”
Members of the Legislature have not received a raise for over 24 years, he noted, and are paid far less than their peers in New York or Pennsylvania.
“New York makes $142,000,” said Stile. “Our lawmakers spend about 80% of their time on governmental business, so that classifies them as full-time employees. You’ll hear a lot of that argument from lawmakers.”
Stile predicted that while maybe not at the full amount proposed, at least some raises will pass. “Everyone is going to want to jump in and get a piece of the pie,” he said.
