South Carolina lawmakers consider a nearly $18,000 pay raise

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The South Carolina Senate has voted what is effectively an $18,000-a-year pay raise into the state’s spending plan for the next budget year.

Republican Sen. Shane Martin introduced the plan Wednesday which would increase what is called “in-district compensation” — money set aside for legislative duties but have few limits on how it can be spent — from $1,000 a month to $2,500 a month for all 46 senators and 124 House members.

Martin explained the plan for about 30 seconds before it was approved 24-15. It is part of the overall $14.4 billion budget plan the Senate approved later Wednesday.

The monthly stipend for lawmakers has not been increased in about 30 years. If it makes it through the rest of the budget process, lawmakers would go from $12,000 a year to $30,000 a year for those expenses. In all, the proposal would cost $3 million a year.

In his brief explanation on the Senate floor, Martin said the increase was needed to adjust for inflation and keep up with a world where there are more expenses.

Lawmakers also get a salary of $10,400 a year that has not changed since 1990. In addition, they get money for meals, milage to drive to Columbia and hotel rooms while in session. Legislators are considered part time because South Carolina’s General Assembly meets three days a week from January to May.

Republican House leadership said they were not aware of the Senate plan and needed to discuss it with their colleagues before speaking publicly. A small conference committee of senators and House members will have to agree in about a month to keep it in the spending plan.

Lawmakers passed a $1,000-a-month increase in the budget in 2014, but Republican Gov. Nikki Haley vetoed it and senators did not have the votes to override her decision.

Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey voted against the proposal Wednesday. He said lawmakers should have been more transparent.

“You ought to let it go through the subcommittee process — let people come in and fuss at you — let it go through all the committee work, let it come on the floor and have a debate,” said Massey, one of 15 Republicans to vote against it.

Massey said he understands the argument that low compensation tends to limit who can serve to people who run their own businesses, are independently wealthy or retired. And he said $1,000 a month doesn’t go as far as it used to.

“You can use that just in gas,” Massey said. “My district is five counties.”

Democratic Rep. John King has been pushing for some kind of additional compensation for lawmakers for years. Representatives like him don’t have an office in their home county. He had to set one up himself with a computer, furniture and all the other supplies. He pays someone to handle constituent issues while he is legislating which also eats into his compensation.

King, who is a funeral director for his family’s funeral home, can afford to be a lawmaker because there are people to help with the family business when he is away. But he knows there are a lot of people in his district who could not choose to run because of a money crunch.

“Let’s find a fair way where any citizen in the state of South Carolina who chooses to run for office can run,” King said.