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Oregon state Senate floor, March 1, 2024, at the Oregon state Capitol in Salem, Ore.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
For years, the salary of statewide officials in Oregon has been a thorny political problem.
Now, backers of Measure 116 are hoping voters will fix this by amending the state constitution and creating a new commission to set salaries for elected officials.
If approved, Measure 116 would give an independent commission the power to set salaries for the governor, the secretary of state, lawmakers, judges and other state elected officials.
The idea is to take politicians out of deciding their own salaries. While most agree the current system is problematic, not everyone is sure Measure 116 is the right route to fix it.
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Why do we care how much politicians make?
In 2022, three Democratic lawmakers announced they would not seek re-election to the state Legislature. All three women were in their 30s and 40s and worked outside of government as well; one was a lawyer, another was a social worker and one was a nurse practitioner.
Their reason? They could no longer afford to be state lawmakers.
The pay is low, and the hours are long. The Legislature is technically a part-time job, paying a base salary of about $35,000. But it’s becoming increasingly more demanding and time-consuming.
Lawmakers meet every February, with sessions that cannot exceed 160 days in odd-numbered years and 35 days in even-numbered years. But special legislative sessions are becoming increasingly common; with lawmakers called back to Salem to tackle unfinished business at unexpected times. There are never-ending constituent demands, people desperate for help who expect unlimited access to lawmakers. And as the state grows, the budget and policy demands have also grown.
If the pay remains too low it becomes difficult for people from both economically and ethnically diverse backgrounds to run for office. Without a higher wage, proponents argue, the state would continue to be predominantly represented by people who are older, whiter, retired and no longer have kids at home.
The pay scale for statewide offices also became front-and-center when former Secretary of State Shemia Fagan resigned. Fagan resigned from her role after Willamette Week revealed she had accepted a lucrative side gig as a cannabis consultant. At the time, Fagan noted she was a single mom and also teaching at Willamette University Law School to bolster her salary.
By law, the Oregon Secretary of State earns $77,000 a year, plus a $250 stipend. That hasn’t increased since 2014. The current deputy secretary of state makes $267,552.
Salaries for statewide elected officials also remain low compared to other states. The governor makes $98,600; the state treasurer makes $77,000; and the attorney general makes $82,200.
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What’s not to like?
Opponents are worried the measure is too nebulous. They raised concerns about who would actually sit on the commission, noting it’s up to the Legislature to decide membership, which could result in what isn’t actually a very independent commission. Despite the exceptions carved out, there are still plenty of ways to put people with direct political ties on the commission.
Rather than call it an “independent” commission, Dan Meek, an Oregon attorney who focuses on government accountability, said he is calling it “a crony commission.”
Meek noted the commission could be made up of big campaign donors or former lobbyists or former state officers and, he said, once the commission is chosen there are very few ways to hold them accountable. The commission’s salary determinations would also be final and not subject to any oversight, which is concerning, Meek said.
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