Pay Cuts OK'd by Majority of Senators

June 19, 2009

Sacramento – More than half of the total number of senators have agreed to various pay cuts starting July 1 in order to aid the state’s budget deficit, reports said Friday.

Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg has initiated the said cuts when he offered his salary reduction of 5% during negotiations for the yearly budget. Steinberg then urged 39 others to do the same with their salary that reaches up to $116,208.

Most of the senators are currently receiving lesser salary because of their refusal to accept pay raises in 2007 while some are voluntarily decreasing their earnings.

Twenty-six senators aside from Steinberg have agreed to the proposed 5% cut by Friday evening.

Senator Patricia Wiggins went with Steinberg’s proposition and said she will surrender a state-financed vehicle along with her gasoline credit card.

Wage cuts from each senator is said to help the $24-billion budget shortage.