Bill would tie lawmakers’ pay to unemployment rate

March 9, 2011 at 12:00a.m.

State Sen. Jason Wilson of Columbiana, D-30th

COLUMBUS

Lawmakers would face pay cuts of 5 percent to 10 percent, depending on Ohio’s unemployment rate, under legislation being considered in the Ohio Senate.

Sen. Jason Wilson, a Democrat from Columbiana, offered Senate Bill 74 to enable the state’s elected officials to share in the financial burden other Ohioans are facing.

“Nearly 600,000 unemployed Ohioans would have been more at ease taking a pay cut instead of losing their jobs,” Wilson told the Senate’s Finance Committee Tuesday afternoon. “As legislators, we need to make it clear that if the people are suffering, we are not exempt.”

Under the legislation, lawmakers would face a 5 percent cut in their base salaries, currently $51,674. But if Ohio’s unemployment rate is higher than the national rate at the end of 2012, that pay cut would increase to 10 percent.

The changes would not affect current state representatives or senators, only those elected to new terms in two years, since Ohio’s constitution prohibits lawmaker pay changes midterm.

Comparable legislation was offered last session but did not pass.

“The taxpayers of our state have spoken clearly,” Wilson said. “They are demanding change. They want us as elected officials to share some of the financial burden that everyone else is going through.”

Asked Tuesday whether they were willing to cut lawmakers’ pay, Republican leaders of the Ohio House and Senate said they have worked to reduce spending in their respective chambers.

“We’re prepared to do our part in sharing the sacrifice that we’re asking all Ohioans to share in so that we can return to prosperity,” said Senate President Tom Niehaus, a Republican from New Richmond.