California Lawmakers Celebrating Holidays With Pay Raise

California legislators and Constitutional officers are getting a five percent pay increase. Lawmaker pay has been cut or remained stagnate since 2007. 11 legislators have declined the raise.

Mark Baldassare is president of the Public Policy Institute of California. He said Californians may be concerned that lawmaker pay has gone down, but said the increase may still raise questions.

“Many Californians experienced tough economic times themselves over the last few years," he said. "They’ve, perhaps, gone without pay raises or gone through periods of economic insecurity.”

With the raise the governor will now make about 174 thousand a year, while legislators will get about $95 thousand. They are the highest paid in the country.

Checks with the salary increase will be issued at the end of the month.