A veteran conservative lawmaker wants a raise – and wants his elected colleagues at the local, county and state levels to get one too. And he says it’s urgent that the idea moves forward right away.
Rep. Bill Seitz (R-Cincinnati) said statewide, county and local elected officials and state lawmakers haven’t had a raise in 11 years.
His idea is to give them a 75 percent cost of living adjustment – or COLA. “So it’s not even cost of living. It’s ‘diet COLA’," he said.
And Seitz said the plan needs to be tacked onto a bill now because lawmakers can only vote on pay raises that take effect in a future term. That starts in January and would include Seitz and other officials who won their elections last month.
“If we do not act by the end of this year, all of us will be barred from getting anything for the next term,” Seitz said.
The last raise also came through a lame duck session. But with little time left on this one, it’s unclear whether this plan will pass.
