Correction: Mitch Berry of Little Rock, a member of the citizens commission that will be considering salary increases for state elected officials, is a former registered lobbyist in Arkansas. This article incorrectly described his status as a lobbyist.
A seven-member citizens commission, appointed by four state officials Wednesday, will consider raising salary levels for state lawmakers, the state's seven constitutional officers, members of the state Supreme Court and Court of Appeals, and circuit and district judges during the next few months.
The state's seven constitutional officers are the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, auditor, treasurer, secretary of state and land commissioner.
The citizens commission includes a former U.S. attorney who ran unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor, a former state Ethics Commission member, and a former Little Rock city director who ran unsuccessfully for the state House of Representatives, Gov. Mike Beebe's office announced Wednesday.
Beebe and legislative leaders said they won't give any direction about salary levels to their appointees on the commission.
A constitutional amendment approved by voters in November shifts the responsibility for setting salaries of state elected officials from the Legislature to what the amendment calls "an independent citizens commission."
The amendment also bans certain gifts from lobbyists to the state's elected officials, prohibits direct political contributions from corporations and unions, delays lawmakers' eligibility to register as lobbyists until two years after their terms have ended, and extends the number of years that lawmakers may serve.
It required the House speaker, Senate president pro tempore and governor to appoint two members of the commission apiece, and the chief justice of the state Supreme Court to make one appointment.
State Supreme Court Chief Justice Jim Hannah appointed attorney Chuck Banks of Little Rock, a former U.S. attorney who ran unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor in 2006.
"I'm honored to be asked to serve, and I have no preconceived notions about what I will or will not support," Banks said when asked how much of a salary increase state elected officials should expect from the commission. "I'm assuming we'll have a meeting soon, and we'll be briefed on what specific responsibilities we will undertake."
Beebe's appointees to the salary commission are former Little Rock Director Barbara Graves, a retired business owner who ran unsuccessfully for a state House seat in 2012, and former state Ethics Commission member Larry Ross of Sherwood, who is president of Ross Consulting LLC and a former lobbyist.
Beebe spokesman Matt DeCample said that Graves and Ross "are both people [Beebe] believes will enter this new process with open and objective minds, and they both met the qualifications for this particular appointment."
Beebe "gave them no orders or suggestions about how to approach the task at hand," DeCample said.
House Speaker Davy Carter, R-Cabot, appointed Mitch Berry of Little Rock, an attorney at Dyke & Winzerling PLC who also is a lobbyist, and Stephen Tipton of Cabot, regional vice president of Centennial Bank. Berry is the son of former Democratic U.S. Rep. Marion Berry of Gillett.
"I have not given them any 'marching orders' other than to use their life experience and good judgment when making these decisions," Carter said in a written statement.
Senate President Pro Tempore Jonathan Dismang, R-Searcy, appointed Stuart Hill of Searcy, vice president and treasurer of the White County Medical Center, and Brenda James of Little Rock, math coach in the Little Rock School District.
Dismang said he doesn't intend to provide "any direction" about the salary levels of state elected officials to his appointees.
These appointments expire Nov. 5, 2018.
The annual salaries for the House speaker and president pro tempore are $17,771, while the other 99 representatives and 34 senators are paid $15,869 a year. On average, legislators also are paid about $35,000 for per diem, mileage and other expense reimbursements.
Annual pay for the governor is $87,759; the attorney general, $73,132; and for the secretary of state, treasurer, auditor and land commissioner, $54,848 each. The lieutenant governor's annual salary is $42,315.
The lieutenant governor's post has been vacant since February. Republican U.S. Rep. Tim Griffin of Little Rock will assume that office in January.
The annual salary for the Supreme Court's chief justice is $161,601; the other six justices earn $149,589 a year. The annual pay for the Court of Appeals' chief judge is $147,286; the Court of Appeals' other 11 other judges earn $144,982 a year.
The annual pay for the state's circuit judges is $140,372, while district court judges get $125,495.
Sen. Jon Woods, R-Springdale, who proposed the constitutional amendment with state Rep. Warwick Sabin, D-Little Rock, said legislators' salaries should be "a living wage because it's no longer the part-time job that it used to be. It is above that.
"And if the lieutenant governor's salary is deemed as part time and it is $42,000 and we work much, much more harder than the lieutenant governor, and there's your problem right there," Woods said. "I really do feel that the salaries for constitutional officers and legislators in Arkansas is embarrassing, and that's why I was passionate about putting the salary commission [as part of this amendment]."
He said he's not sure whether he'd recommend salary levels to the commission.
Under the amendment, the Senate president pro tempore is required to call the first meeting of the commission within 45 days of Nov. 5, which is within the next two weeks.
The commission is required to complete its initial review of the salaries no later than 90 days after Nov. 5, which is in February.
The "salary adjustments" resulting from the commission's initial review of the salaries for these elected positions aren't limited under the amendment. Thereafter, "no single adjustment at any one time to a salary by the independent commission shall exceed fifteen percent of the salary to be increased or diminished," under the amendment.
The commission is required under the amendment to keep the salaries of circuit judges uniform throughout the state, and it "may increase, but not diminish the salaries" for the Arkansas Supreme Court and Court of Appeals and circuit and district judges.
The measure requires the commission to provide notice to the public, make available any data reviewed by it in determining the proposed salary adjustment, and "afford the public a reasonable opportunity to provide public comment on the proposed salary adjustment."
"An adjustment to a salary shall be effective ten days after it is filed with the auditor of state," under the amendment.
The commission is required to meet at least once a year after completing its initial review of salaries.
It's also required to make recommendations to the House speaker and Senate president pro tempore about amounts paid to state lawmakers for per diem and reimbursement for mileage and expenses no later than 90 days after Nov. 5, by early February. State lawmakers will consider the commission's recommendations on per diem and expense reimbursement during next year's regular session.
Metro on 12/04/2014