By Marshall Griffin, KWMU
Jefferson City, MO – A resolution to block pay raises for elected officials and most judges in Missouri passed a State House committee.
Supporters of the resolution, including House Speaker Pro-tem Bryan Pratt (R, Blue Springs), say it's not the right time for politicians and judges to get a bump in salary, and since "jobless claims are at an all-time high [and] we're in the middle of a world-wide recession," Pratt said "now is not the time for an elected official to get a pay raise."
Former Missouri Supreme Court Chief Justice Chip Robertson spoke against the resolution, saying raises were necessary to keep good judges from leaving the bench.
"Unless we continue to attract high-quality people to judicial jobs and (to) others like yours, we're going to pay a price down the road that is far too great for the amount of money we're going to spend not to have to pay that price," Robertson said, and cited as one recent example the departure of Stephen Limbaugh from the State Supreme Court to the federal court system.
Despite detractions, the House Rules Committee approved the resolution by an 8-to-3 vote, and it now goes to the full Missouri House for debate and amendments.