Most state lawmakers started getting bigger paychecks this week. But more than a dozen are declining the pay hike in light of the state's looming budget gap. Marianne Russ reports.
Lawmakers will see a nearly three percent raise. That brings the legislative salary to just over $116,000.
GOP Assemblyman Ted Gaines isn't accepting it.
Gaines : It just doesn't make sense for me, as a small business man to take a pay increase when you're losing money.
The state's non-partisan legislative analyst has predicted a $10 billion hole in the state budget.
Steve Maviglio with the Democratic Assembly Speaker's office notes lawmakers didn't give themselves the pay hike. A commission created by voters gave it the ok months ago.
Maviglio : If you look adjusted to inflation, they're making less than they did in 1967 and a lot of people have bills to pay and kids to college and they have to do that -- they get no pensions.
Constitutional Officers, including the Secretary of State and the Attorney General are also getting raises.
