Stop the Capitol Pay Raise

Minnesota legislators are giving themselves a 30% per diem increase and their staff a 15.25% pay raise! 

Now we know where the $17.6 billion surplus went – to salaries and benefits for legislators and their staff. 

Did you get a 15.25% raise? Don’t let them keep wasting the surplus — Sign the petition! The Senate Rules Committee votes THIS Tuesday, June 13. Make your voice heard now.

If you’re wondering where the state’s record-setting $17.6 billion surplus went, look no further than the Capitol Dwellers’ own wallets. On June 7, the House Rules Committee voted on and passed a resolution to massively increase the compensation for government bureaucrats and legislators.  

Specifically, every legislative employee will receive a $1500 bump to their base salary, then an increase of 9.25% on top of that increased rate, and then still every employee will be eligible for another 3.25% merit-based increase. When’s the last time you got a 15.25% raise? 

But that’s not the end of it – the majority’s Committee Legislative Assistants will also have their multi-thousand-dollar stipends increased by another 9.25%. The full text of the resolution is available by clicking the image below, but here are the relevant paragraphs: 

In addition to the massive payday for legislative staff, the House Rules Committee also increased the per diem rate by a whopping 30%, going from $66 per day to $86 per day.  

Finally, the House Rules Committee also expanded the number of legislators who are eligible for the 140% over-base leadership pay rate to include the House Majority Whip and House Assistant Minority Leader. 

On the campaign trail, Gov. Walz and other elected officials campaigned on giving the surplus back to Minnesotans through so-called Walz Checks to the tune of $1000 per Minnesotan. Instead of giving the surplus back to Minnesotans, House and Senate leadership decided to line their own pockets in a backdoor pay increase and massively increase the salaries of their cronies while they think nobody is watching.  

The good news is that it’s not too late. The Senate Rules Committee is expected to vote on this resolution on Tuesday which means that this egregious misuse of the surplus can still be stopped! 

Sign the petition above to send a message to the Senate Rules Committee telling them how you feel about them lining their pockets with your surplus money.