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Bipartisan
control over elected officials pay
Ohio Senate Proposes a Constitutional Amendment
COLUMBUS— The Ohio Senate today passed a proposal to amend the Ohio
Constitution in order to establish a Public Office Compensation
Commission. If approved by Ohio voters in November, the bipartisan
Commission would review and determine the compensation, up or down, of
every elected official in Ohio, except those elected under home rule
authority.
Ohio Senate President Keith Faber (R-Celina) sponsored the Senate Joint
Resolution 1 along with colleagues from both sides of the aisle.
Faber said, "This initiative takes the politics out of pay. Common
sense tells us that when we take decisions about compensation out of
the hands of the people that are directly impacted, we will see a more
fair and transparent process."
The Public Office Compensation Commission would consist of nine voting
members serving two year terms: two members appointed by the governor,
two members each appointed by the President of the Senate and the
Speaker of the House, one member each appointed by the Senate and House
minority leaders, and one member appointed by the Chief Justice of the
Ohio Supreme Court.
Members of the Commission would first meet in 2015 to establish a
compensation plan. Before taking effect on July 1, 2016, the proposed
plan would undergo extensive public deliberation and a vote in the Ohio
General Assembly. The Commission would be required to justify any pay
increase or decrease that exceeded 3% or CPI.
"Creating an impartial review is an obvious solution to fairly set
elected official pay," said Faber. "This isn't about raising pay across
the board— it's about taking a look at compensation, up or down, on an
objective, case-by-case basis in comparison to the position,
marketplace, and economic situation of average Ohioans."
If Ohio voters approve the creation of the Public Office Compensation
Commission, Ohio will join 19 other states that have already created
similar commissions to provide impartial recommendations for setting
compensation levels of elected officials.
Senate Joint Resolution 1 passed the Senate with a unanimous vote and
now moves to the House for further consideration.
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