A pay raise for state elected officials in Missouri that would have automatically taken effect Saturday has been blocked. The Missouri Senate voted overwhelmingly to kill the raises, which would have increased lawmakers’ salaries by 11 percent. The governor and other state elected officials would have gotten an 8 percent raise.
Republican Senator Mike Cunningham from rural southern Missouri argued that state workers should be the ones getting a raise.
“Missouri ranks last in the nation in pay for state employees," said Cunningham. "The last significant pay raise for state employees was 3 percent in 2009. Last year they received 1 percent, in FY ’13 they received 2 percent.”
Two Democratic senators tried unsuccessfully to block the measure, saying that state lawmakers are underpaid and that boosting their salaries would also help attract better candidates for office.
