Legislator cites 21% pay raises for elected officials

Most people are happy when they receive a raise from their employer, Paul Wesselhoft, R-Oklahoma City, is outraged. The recently concluded budget agreement calls for giving judges and statewide elected officials a 21% raise in pay. The raise has prompted Wesselhoft to unveil his first annual Skunk-Master Award. The award is given for legislation which best “exhibits the pugnacious, stagnant smell of governmental greed.” Wesselhoft said in a statement:

“In light of the Legislature’s unwillingness to give state employees any more than a 5-percent pay increase, of which the legislature will only fund half, and its unwillingness to raise the minimum wage by a buck, my colleagues in the House nevertheless passed a bill that will fully fund a bloated pay increase for judges and elected officials.”

The salary for Governor Henry and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court would increase to more than $140,000, up from $117,000, according to Wesselhoft’s release.