Washington state lawmakers will get a 14 percent raise over the next two years, bringing their annual salaries above $70,000, according to a recommendation adopted Thursday by a citizen salary-setting committee.

Most legislators currently earn $61,997 per year. They would receive a 7% raise on July 1, 2025, bringing their salary to $66,411 and another 7% a year later, bringing their salary to $71,126.

State executives and judges will also get pay raises, although the increases decided by the Washington Citizens’ Commission on Elected Officials’ Salaries are not as significant.

Washington’s nine leaders – governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, state auditor, superintendent of public instruction, insurance commissioner, treasurer and commissioner of public lands – would benefit from a cost adjustment of life by 3% next July and an additional 2% next July. July 1, 2026. Judges, including state Supreme Court justices, would receive raises of 4% in July and 3% a year later.

Commissioners made clear they did not believe lawmakers’ compensation had kept pace with the growing duties of elected office and the rising cost of living.

Some supported even bigger increases after Lt. Gov. Denny Heck and several current and former state lawmakers addressed the commission Wednesday to advocate for better compensation.

“Members of the Legislature are the governing board of our state of 8 million residents and the entire state workforce,” Heck said. “Simply put, state legislators’ compensation is not commensurate with the scope of their responsibilities and the time commitments they require. »

State Sen. Yasmin Trudeau, D-Tacoma, spoke about the challenge of balancing motherhood and public service, noting that she would bring her youngest child to the Capitol at various points during the session, including budget negotiations of the state.

“I didn’t enter public service to make money. The reality is we are doing a lot more,” she said.

Commissioners echoed a concern raised by Trudeau: compensation must be sufficient so that residents from all walks of life are interested in serving in Citizens’ Parliament. If wages are too low, people like working mothers, small business owners, and young adults will feel like they cannot afford to serve.

But commissioners acknowledged their suggestion of a 14 percent increase would attract public attention.

“We can’t fix everything overnight. We’re going to have to explain this,” Commissioner Nicholas Lovrich said. “It really helps.”

On Thursday evening, Heck praised the commission “for recognizing that the job of a state legislator is profoundly different than it once was.”

Weighing

Voters created the salary commission in 1987 to end the practice of politicians deciding their own salaries. Although financed by the state, it operates independently of the legislative, executive and judicial branches.

Its 17 unpaid members include randomly selected residents of the state’s 10 congressional districts as well as representatives from business, labor and higher education. Legal and human resources professions are also represented.

Every two years, this panel meets to review salary changes. Commissioners are supposed to base their decisions on the tasks of their job, not the man or woman doing it at the time. They don’t have to give any raises, but they can’t lower anyone’s salary.

Commissioners will spend the next four months gathering public comment on the recommended increases. Public hearings, to be held in person and virtually, are scheduled for November 14 in Port Angeles, December 11 in Vancouver and January 8 in Ocean Shores. A final hearing is scheduled for Feb. 5 in Tumwater, during which the commission could revise the schedule before taking final action.

Elected officials and judges cannot change what the commission approves.

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