S.C. lawmakers consider giving themselves pay raises
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - South Carolina lawmakers could receive a higher salary next year, totaling $3 million in taxpayer dollars each year.
Under the proposal, all 170 of the General Assembly would see an increase of $18,000 each year.
When senators approved their version of the next state budget, they also included a bipartisan provision to give all of the General Assembly a raise to their monthly in-district compensation, which hasn’t been changed in more than three decades.
“We’ve been dealing with things in the budget to help other people deal with inflation, and I think it’s time that we try to take care, make sure that the people who are elected to serve as elected representatives maintain inflation and keep up with our expenses,” Sen. Shane Martin, R - Spartanburg, said.
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Lawmakers’ in-district compensation is a monthly reimbursement that is flexible on what it can be used for, but is meant for legislative work.
This proposal would increase that compensation from $12,000 a year to $30,000.
State lawmakers currently receive total pay of about $30,000 annually between the current in-district compensation, per diem money to pay for food and hotels when they’re in session in Columbia for about half the year, and their annual salary of around $10,000.
Some, like House Democratic Leader Todd Rutherford, who represents Richland County, said that pay is too low to attract candidates for office who represent all South Carolinians.
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“It’s the rich, the retired, and the retained: those people that are independently wealthy and can afford to serve and don’t need the salary; those people that are lawyers and can move their time around for their pay; and those people that are retired, so they come down here and do it,” he said. “The average working-class person could never afford to serve in the General Assembly, and unless we do something about the pay, they never will.”
More than a dozen senators voted against this proposal, with some saying it is not needed.
Others believe there’s merit to the idea but that it should’ve been worked out in a way that was more fully vetted and provided a chance for taxpayers and their constituents to weigh in as well.
of the House of Representatives would still need to approve this raise for it to be implemented.
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