After two weeks of hemming and hawing, it seems like the will of the people was yet again tossed aside, as the Louisiana House of Representatives and Senate voted to amend a Senate bill calling for a large pay raise for legislators.

The House amended the bill Friday to bring the requested base pay for state legislators to $37,500,  an increase of $20,700. This does not include per diem and other allowances, bringing the grand total to a nearly $60,000 per year for part-time lawmakers.

By a vote of 20 to 18 Monday, the Senate gave its blessing to the amended plan, sending it to Gov. Bobby Jindal’s desk for final passage.

Just in case you were curious to see how our area legislators voted on the matter, here is a breakdown. Sen. Jody Amedee voted against the pay increase, as did Rep. Karen Gaudet St. Germain. Voting for the pay raise were Reps. Elton Aubert, Eddie Lambert and M.J. “Mert” Smiley Jr.

We are disheartened to see this bill pass. Once again, Louisiana manages to make itself look even worse in terms of legislative action.
Monday, Jindal issued a statement on the vote.

“I’m very sorry to see the legislature do this,” the governor said. “More than doubling legislative pay is not reasonable, and the public has been very clear on that. I will keep my pledge to let them govern themselves and make their own decisions as a separate branch of government. I will not let anything, even this clearly excessive pay raise, stop us from moving Louisiana forward with a clear plan for reform.”

We hope you hold true to your word, Bobby.