Missouri’s elected officials stand to bring home bigger paychecks if the recommendations of a state commission are enacted. The Missouri Citizens’ Commission on Compensation for Elected Officials has completed its final report and has approved pay raises for legislators, judges, and statewide office holders. Chairman Jack Pohrer says only the General Assembly will be able to overturn or reject the recommendations, and that would require a two-thirds’ majority of both the House and Senate. As part of the recommendation statewide office holders and judges would receive $1,200 lump sum payments on July 1st, 2007 – the start of the 2008 Fiscal Year. Associate Circuit Judges would receive an additional $2,000 payment. All judges and statewide office holders would then be entitled to 4 percent pay increases. Legislators would receive the $1,200 lump sum payment, but not until January of 2009. They would also receive 4 percent pay raises. Under the proposal, all elected officials would receive any future pay increases approved for other state workers.
