Josh Goodman is a former staff writer for GOVERNING..
E-mail: mailbox@governing.comTwitter: @governing
Career Advice: Don't Become a State Legislator for the Pay
The salaries of state legislators in Arizona have stayed the same for a decade: $24,000 a year. A bipartisan commission placed a proposal on last Tuesday's ballot to increase the salary to $30,000.
The good news for Arizona legislators: nearly 700,000 Arizonans voted for the idea.
The bad news: more than 1.25 million voted against it.
The political impossibility of paying state legislators $30,000 a year is just more proof that voters have no lower priority than compensating elected officials. It seems relevant to mention that the federal poverty line for a family of five is $24,800.
Twitter: @governing
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