Rep. Mark Batinick (R-Plainfield) | Courtesy photo
Rep. Mark Batinick (R-Plainfield) | Courtesy photo
Rep. Mark Batinick (R-Plainfield) is blasting Democratic legislators' vote to grant themselves a 16% pay raise during the recent lame-duck session.
“Wages aren’t keeping up with inflation, but we’ve locked in inflation bumps each July, and now, late at night, with no one here, we’ve ensured our pay goes up well beyond what the private sector sees,” said Batinick, according to The Associated Press.
The measure passed the Democratic-controlled House by a 63-35 vote, meaning lawmakers will receive a $11,655 raise in base pay, to $85,000 after netting a 2.4% cost-of-living adjustment to increase base salaries to about $67,800 just four years ago.
Most lawmakers are expected to earn even more than their $85,000 base salary, given their roles on a number of committees and other panels that pay anywhere from $12,000 to $16,000 for the House Speaker, Senate president and the minority leaders of each chamber.
Over the last decade, lawmakers have approved automatic cost of living adjustments, providing raises in 2021 and 2022, with the next one coming July 1, noted Batinick.
Batinick did not seek reelection after several years of serving the Plainfield area.
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