ITHACA, NY – On Wednesday, the Tompkins Legislature’s Government Operations Committee voted to pass forward a resolution to the full legislature that would provide for a raise in legislator salaries in the coming years.
Currently, Tompkins legislators are paid $19,075 per year, and their salaries have grown about 0.65 percent per year since 2006. Legislator salaries have seen only one increase of $375 a year in the last seven years. On average, the county’s white-collar employees saw raises of about 2.13 percent per year during that same period.
The resolution passed through the committee with a 4-1 vote, with legislator Rich John dissenting to recommend a salary of $21,400 for each of the four years.
The resolution, which will be discussed and voted on by the full legislature in a coming session, would give legislators a $400 per year raise each year from 2018 to 2021. All seats of the legislature are up for reelection before this change would take place.
The raise would fit with the county’s goal of supporting a living wage, which is $13.77 per hour in Tompkins County. Legislators currently are expected to put in about 30 hours of work per week, on average.