New Mexico should join other states in paying legislators
In November, my daughter was elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives. I was there to celebrate with her. The next morning, we wondered what the next steps would be. After all, the campaign was over, her opponent had conceded, and her new adventure was just ahead.
We didn’t wonder for long. The first call was from the Oklahoma House personnel office. The purpose was to get necessary information for the payroll system. Oklahoma pays their legislators. They also receive per diem during the session and are required to make a minimum 4% contribution to a state retirement plan. (The first salary was established when the constitution was written in 1907.)
This spurred my thinking about New Mexico, the only state in the country that does not pay a legislative salary. States bordering New Mexico pay salaries ranging from $7,200 a year to $40,000 plus per diem.
To be clear, New Mexico legislators get per diem and mileage for the session and for interim committee meetings they attend.
This year, New Mexico may take the first steps to establishing a legislative salary. Recent reports indicate Rep. Joy Garrett, D-Bernalillo, Rep. Angelica Rubio, D-Doña Ana, and others will make proposals addressing this issue.
Currently, Article IV, Section 10, of the state constitution outlines legislative pay in the form of per diem and mileage. It also states in subsection C, “No other compensation, perquisite or allowance.” So these proposals, called Joint Resolutions, will change this provision if approved by voters.
No doubt, there will be a robust debate about legislative pay and how to determine it. Some current proposals include:
Establishment of an independent compensation committee jointly appointed by members of the executive and legislative branch. This committee would be charged with using census data for household income to establish a salary. Their decision would be binding.
Charge the already established Ethics Commission with determining salaries using some of the same guidelines.
Require the compensation body to meet every two or four years to review compensation with the ability to raise or lower the compensation level by no more than 10%.
Other ideas that may be considered but have yet to surface in the proposals are requiring compensation committee members to have specific experience or expertise to design and review compensation plans and requiring legislators to make a minimum contribution to the Public Employees Retirement Account in addition to receiving a salary.
As with all legislation, there will be questions raised and innovative ideas proposed during the committee process and the floor debate. Because these bills are likely to be filed early there will be ample time to make it to a final vote.
If a joint resolution passes, the next big step will be to convince voters that legislators deserve to be paid. This will be the task for legislators.
Most studies show that voters give legislatures as a whole a low approval rating but in contrast give their hometown legislators much higher marks. Each legislator will need to take this proposal and their personal stories to their home districts. No doubt they will face tough questions.
New Mexico and Oklahoma are worlds apart when it comes to politics. Oklahoma is a solid red state while New Mexico is one of the bluest. But on the issue of legislative salaries Oklahoma has it right. Fifty-five years ago, they established an independent compensation board. Over the years Oklahoma voters have both approved and rejected increases in pay.
Oklahoma’s success can be a model for New Mexico. Give voters a well-crafted plan and let them decide.
This article originally appeared on Carlsbad Current-Argus: New Mexico should join other states in paying legislators
