2008 Ballot Propositions Transcript

PROPOSITION 300, LEGISLATIVE SALARY INCREASE:

Secretary Brewer Explanation of a Yes and No Vote

SECRETARY JAN BREWER: A yes vote shall have the effect of raising state legislators' salaries to $30,000 per year.

A no vote shall have the effect of keeping state legislators' salaries at $24,000 per year.

Argument For Proposition 300

MR. SAL RIVERA: Good evening. My name is Sal Rivera, and I am the Chairman of the Commission on salaries for elected officials. This bipartisan commission was appointed by the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of House of Representatives, and the Chief Justice of the Arizona Supreme Court.

I, and the other five commissioners, are all volunteers, we are not legislators, and none of us will benefit directly from supporting this important proposition. Our commission does, however, analyze comprehensive information regarding legislative salaries across the United States. We take a look at lots of information, cost of living, salary information about all the other states, what's going on in Arizona, the private sector, and other places. And this analysis demonstrates that an increase in legislative salaries is needed. Our legislators currently earn $24,000 per year. Proposition 300, as you heard, would increase legislative salaries to $30,000 per year. Significantly, there has not been an increase in legislative salaries since 1999. Our legislators have a difficult job and work very hard for us. It takes significant responsibility and time to effectively do their jobs.

Increasing the salary will also increase the pool of qualified candidates for the legislature. Yes, we are sensitive to the economic times around us, but based on our analysis, we still believe an increase is warranted. It is an investment in good government and the future of Arizona.

This year, even though in the past we've recommended a $12,000 increase, we recommended a $6,000 increase to increase the salary, but also reflect the realities of our current budget. And if you think about it, this investment in good government is a miniscule percentage of our state budget.

If you like your legislators, you should support Proposition 300, because you know they're doing job.

MODERATOR CAREY PFEFFER: Two minutes. Thank you.

MR. SAL RIVERA: Thank you for your support. We hope you'll support Proposition 300.

Argument Against Proposition 300

MR. ROY MILLER: Thanks, Carey.

To understand my views on this subject, it is helpful for me to state my overall philosophy on government, which is that government's only legitimate function is to protect our liberty. Therefore, on questions like the ones facing -- facing us today, I ask which position is most likely to increase or maintain our liberty.

Whenever legislative pay is discussed, you hear arguments like the low pay and huge time commitments of serving as state lawmakers keep many people from running to the legislature. Conventional wisdom says working more hours is better and being paid more is better, but with respect to legislative pay, conventional wisdom is wrong. We shouldn't want our legislators to work more. We already have too many laws. Why would we want to do anything that would tend to make legislators work longer hours?

You will also hear comments with respect to pay, like "you get what you pay for." The people making these comments are often people who, at the same time, will talk about legislators as public servants. Where is the public service if all we are getting is what we pay for?

As a point of comparison, there are hundreds of Arizona citizens who volunteer countless hours on boards and commissions, all without pay, except for minor expenses such as mileage reimbursement. This is far less than the per diem, which Arizona legislators get in addition to their salary.

Another argument you will hear is the concern about all the people who can't afford to serve because the pay is too low. We do not need every person in Arizona to serve in the legislature. We only need 90 people. The rest of us have to work at regular jobs to make a living and pay taxes. Besides, we don't want legislating to become a career.

Legislators should serve a short time and then return to the ranks of ordinary citizens. No matter what pay level you set, there will always be those who earn so much above that amount that it will be economically foolish for them to give up their day jobs. I suggest a no vote on Prop 300.

Questions and Answers for Proposition 300

MODERATOR CAREY PFEFFER: Our question for Proposition 300: Wasn't this measure recently defeated as recently as the election in 2006? From Benjamin.

MR. JOSEPH KANEFIELD: A similar measure was defeated in 2006, although in 2006 the proposal was to raise salaries to -- from $24,000 to $36,000 a year.