A bill heading to the House floor seeks to give the governor and statewide elected officials a significant pay raise. Harahan Representative John Illg is proposing that the governor’s salary be 35% of the average base pay for Louisiana’s university system presidents, and for other statewide elected officials, it would be 30%.
“It hasn’t been done in 20 years; and we came up with a little formula after studying what other legislators make and what other university presidents make,” Illg said.
Currently, the governor makes $130,000 a year. Other statewide elected officials are making $115,000 dollars. Illg says the salaries for statewide elected officials have not been raised in 20 years.
“Many of the people who are elected statewide now, once worked in those departments. They took a pay cut to become the boss,” Illg noted.
Under Illg’s measure. The governor would see his salary increase by $52,000 to a little more than $182,000 a year. The other statewide elected officials would increase by $41,000 to $156,000. The pay hikes will take effect with the next term, which starts in 2028.
Illg says by tying the pay of the governor and statewide elected officials with university system president pay, the legislature will never have to take a vote on it again.
“After 20 years, to be making a certain level, you need to tie it to something so we never have to deal with this again,” Illg said.
Illg is also proposing a daily stipend of $178 for lawmakers when they travel outside the district for legislative work outside of the legislative session. The House Governmental Affairs Committee unanimously approved the bill, and it still needs full House and Senate approval.
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