Bill to raise NJ lawmakers' salaries moves forward to seek full state Senate approval

Legislation that would give raises to New Jersey elected officials and some public employees and state officers will move to the full state Senate for consideration.

The state Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee voted along party lines on the bill, which would increase pay for judges, legislative staff and lawmakers. The legislation also increases the allowance given to legislators to pay their staffs.

The bill will move forward for consideration before the full state Senate on Monday. It would then have to receive approval in the Assembly before it heads to Gov. Phil Murphy's desk for his signature.

Earlier: Retiring state Sen. Dick Codey introduces bill that would hike pay for NJ legislators

What did lawmakers say?

Although the measure moved forward with little fanfare in the Senate committee, debate about its merits stretched for more than a half-hour in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

"It is wrong, I think, for legislators to vote themselves pay increases. So I'm going to offer an amendment,” said Assemblyman Jay Webber, a Republican from Morris County. “It says the salary of any member of the Senate and General Assembly who casts an affirmative vote for this bill, either in committee or on the floor, shall be ineligible for the legislative salary increases provided by this bill. And that member salary will remain at $49,000. So that way, if you think the legislators should be paid $82,000 a year, fine. Have your opinion, but don't benefit from that vote."

Assemblywoman Eliana Pintor Marin, an Essex County Democrat, noted that as a woman with small children, she wouldn’t be able to afford child care on $49,000 per year given the demanding nature of her work as a legislator and that she wants to see other women have the opportunity to serve.

State Sen. Dick Codey, the bill’s sponsor, said in a statement that “raising the pay for legislators, staff, and other public officials is part of ensuring that government can be competitive with the private sector and attract the skilled workers we need to keep government running.

“If New Jersey cannot pay its workers enough to compete with the private sector, and as a consequence we fail to retain our most talented public servants, it is the people of New Jersey who will face the consequences,” said Codey, a retiring Democrat. “In many parts of government, we have high turnover and struggle to attract new applicants because of pay rates that are not competitive with the private sector. If we are to solve this problem, there is no other way than raising the compensation for these jobs.”

Charlie Stile: While Trenton lawmakers pine for raises, NJ public retirees see 'slap in the face'

How will salaries increase?

The bill increases the annual salary for members of the Legislature from $49,000 to $82,000, starting in 2026. Legislators are considered part-time and haven’t seen a raise since 2002. They would also see an increase in the allowance they receive for their staff. It will go from $135,000 to $150,000.

There are several roles that would see a $35,000 raise, from $175,000 to $210,000 each year. The governor would qualify for that raise, though it won’t go into effect until 2026, after Gov. Phil Murphy leaves office.

The executive director of each full-time legislative staff for both parties in both chambers and the executive director of the Office of Legislative Services as well as members of the governor’s Cabinet would also receive that boost, but in those cases it would begin in 2024.

Lt. Gov. Tahesha Way, who also serves in the Cabinet as secretary of state, would be the exception. That role would not see an increased salary go into effect until 2026. The rest of the Cabinet last got a raise in 2018.

The annual salary adjustment for justices and judges that started in January 2021 based on the change in the Consumer Price Index would remain in effect until 2027. The bill also establishes $207,166.50 as the salary for presiding judges of the Superior Court and the Tax Court.

The bill would officially add several roles — including the chairperson of the Civil Service Commission, the colonel and superintendent of the state police, the director of the Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, the secretary of higher education, the chief administrator of the Motor Vehicle Commission, the state comptroller and the chief technology officer — to the list of posts with statutorily designated salaries.

It also makes it so that amounts received from the federal Emergency Management Performance Grant Program for salary costs of the superintendent of the state police will supplemental compensation in addition to the annual salary established in statute.

Katie Sobko covers the New Jersey Statehouse. Email: sobko@northjersey.com

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ legislator salaries: Bill to raise pay advances in Senate