We pay for what we get, so pay Oregon lawmakers more with SB 1566
In addition to being intelligent, dedicated, honest and hardworking, we want Oregon’s lawmakers to reflect the districts and state they represent. Yet, we don’t pay nearly what we should for their service. We have an opportunity to fix this with Senate Bill 1566.
With the challenges facing our state, we need to ensure the best possible public servants do not forgo public service because they cannot support their families on the current legislative salary.
In a democracy, it is critical our representatives reflect the state’s diversity. But with such a low legislative salary, if one isn’t retired or independently wealthy, public service may become a sacrifice they cannot make.
Oregon needs a new compensation model to encourage participation from Oregonians of every walk of life. That is the goal of SB 1566, which would set the legislative salary at the average for the state. For obvious reasons, no legislator wants to advocate for their own pay increase, which is why I feel compelled to speak on their behalf.
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Some might argue the length of the legislative session does not justify a full-time salary. This ignores the fact that much legislative work takes place away from Salem, in the districts legislators represent. I can say elected representatives have spent many days outside the session on the University of Oregon campus assessing needs, talking with experts about problems and coming up with solutions.
Increasing the salary paid to legislators will also reduce the need for many to work additional jobs, increasing time to devote to the public good and reducing possible conflicts of interest.
As more candidates are drawn to run for office, it is highly likely races will become more competitive. That competition would be good for our state and our body politic.
However, for those of us who would like increased numbers of historically underrepresented people in the Legislature, including people of color and economically disadvantaged residents, raising salaries should not be seen as the lone solution. The only systematic study of the relationship between legislative salaries and working-class representation in state legislatures actually finds a negative relationship.
While higher salaries may draw more people from diverse backgrounds to run into politics, they also can create an incentive for middle- and higher-income candidates. Nevertheless, setting salaries at the mean for the state would not singularly lure people with high incomes to give up their other jobs.
A recent survey of research by professors at the University of North Carolina and Duke concludes higher legislator salaries are associated with less outside employment, fewer missed votes, more legislation introduced, greater congruence with constituents’ views and more electoral competition.
In our society, what we pay often reflects how much we value something. We all should value a state legislature populated by men and women who reflect Oregon’s diversity and are willing and able to devote themselves and their time to making the state a better place.
Now is the time for lawmakers to pass SB 1566.
Michael H. Schill is the University of Oregon president and a professor of law.
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