Bill Text: NJ A3661 | 2010-2011 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Reduces compensation afforded members of Legislature and certain Executive Branch officers by 10 percent.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-01-06 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly State Government Committee [A3661 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2010-A3661-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman MATTHEW W. MILAM
District 1 (Cape May, Atlantic and Cumberland)
SYNOPSIS
Reduces compensation afforded members of Legislature and certain Executive Branch officers by 10 percent.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning the compensation afforded members of the Legislature and certain officers in the Executive Branch and amending P.L.1948, c.16 and P.L.1974, c.55.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 1 of P.L.1948, c.16 (C.52:10A-1) is amended to read as follows:
1. Members of the Senate and General Assembly shall receive annually, during the term for which they shall have been elected and while they shall hold their office, compensation in the sum of [$35,000.00 beginning with the 1990 legislative year and compensation in the sum of] $49,000 beginning with the 2002 legislative year, and compensation in the sum of $44,100 beginning on January 10, 2012 and thereafter. The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the General Assembly, each by virtue of his office, shall receive an additional allowance, equal to 1/3 of his compensation as a member. The compensation herein provided shall be paid to each member upon his qualifying into office as such member, and the additional allowance herein provided to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the General Assembly shall be paid upon his qualifying into office as such officer.
(cf: P.L.1999, c.380, s.12)
2. Section 1 of P.L.1974, c.55 (C.52:14-15.107) is amended to read as follows:
1. Notwithstanding the provisions of the annual appropriations act and section 7 of P.L.1974, c.55 (C.52:14-15.110), the Governor shall fix and establish the annual salary, not to exceed [$133,330 in calendar year 2000, $137,165 in calendar year 2001 and] $141,000 in calendar year 2002 and thereafter, and $126,900 in calendar year 2012 and thereafter, for each of the following officers:
Title
Agriculture Department
Secretary of Agriculture
Children and Families Department
Commissioner of Children and Families
Community Affairs Department
Commissioner of Community Affairs
Corrections Department
Commissioner of Corrections
Education Department
Commissioner of Education
Environmental Protection Department
Commissioner of Environmental Protection
Health and Senior Services Department
Commissioner of Health and Senior Services
Human Services Department
Commissioner of Human Services
Banking and Insurance Department
Commissioner of Banking and Insurance
Labor and Workforce Development Department
Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development
Law and Public Safety Department
Attorney General
Military and Veterans' Affairs Department
Adjutant General
State Department
Secretary of State
Transportation Department
Commissioner of Transportation
Treasury Department
State Treasurer
Members, Board of Public Utilities
(cf: P.L.2010, c.34, s.16)
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would reduce the compensation paid to a member of the Legislature by 10 percent, from $49,000 to $44,100, beginning on January 10, 2012. The New Jersey Constitution provides that the compensation for legislators may be increased or decreased by law, but that any change cannot take effect until the legislative year following the next general election for members of the General Assembly. Consequently, the decrease in compensation provided for in this bill will begin with the 2012 legislative year following the next election for members of the Senate and General Assembly in November 2011.
Current law provides that the presiding officer of each house of the Legislature receives an additional allowance equal to 1/3 of his compensation as a member. The bill would result in this additional amount also being reduced by 10 percent.
The bill will also reduce the compensation paid to officers in the Governor's cabinet by 10 percent from $141,000 to $126,900 beginning with the 2012 calendar year.
Given the State's severe budget crisis and State employees being asked to make sacrifices, the entire Legislature and officers in the Governor's administration must accept a reduction in salary in recognition of the gravity of the present economic situation. Solving the current budget crisis requires sacrifices on all fronts. A reduction in salary will allow lawmakers and officers in the Governor's administration to personally empathize with the difficulties of many State citizens during this uncertain economic period.
