Alabama Legislature is now in session...and the first order of the day....

[Brother Jerry]

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - The Alabama Legislature has voted to override the governor's veto to give themselves a 62 percent pay raise.

It's their first raise in 16 years.

The House voted 57-41 to override the governor's veto without any debate.  A few minutes later, the Senate voted 20-15 to override the veto.

Governor Bob Riley issued his veto earlier in the day, saying he feels most people in Alabama believe the amount is "excessive."

He said he doesn't question that lawmakers, who haven't received a raise since 1991, deserve more money. But he said it should be something smaller and take effect over several years.

Now let also add some information to this. 
Part time job.  They are in session for 8 weeks a year.  Let us also note that they go home on weekends.  Friday and Monday are travel days.  So they are only in session Tuesday thru Thursday.
Previously was in the 30's per year.
Now just over 50K per year.

If you took their starting salary and assumed it was 30K per year and the end was 50K.  You would have to give a 3.5% raise each year to get there.  That is more than most people get each year and is averaging more than inflation each year.

This is the first bill or order of business they did in session.  They did nothing else today.  As soon as the governor vetoed it they were back within 2 hours with an overturning of the veto.

Needless to say there are many Alabamians that are not too happy with their elected officials.

[Soldier4Christ]

They did nothing else today.

That's because it was so emotionally exhausting. I wonder how many had to go out of the legislature on gurneys with oxygen?

[Faithin1]

I'm sure they must have been completely drained from laughing all the way to the bank.

[Soldier4Christ]

Exactly.

62 percent pay raise

That must be a first for such a large immediate increase. I wonder just exactly how much that amounts to on an individual basis. I also wonder how many of them will vote down an increase for the lower echelon positions that are under them.

The U.S. Military only received a 2.2% across-the-board increase this year. Of course there has been a raise each year for them but it in no way is equal to a cost of living increase. The same for VA benefits.

[Faithin1]

It's a travesty.  Our politicians have no problem increasing their own salaries, but they obviously don't consider the wages of minimum wage earners or those serving our country in the military to be of equal importance.  I simply do not understand why the taxpayers of this country continue to allow this disparity to continue.  In addition, we underpay our teachers, and pay millions of dollars to men who run up and down a basketball court or on a football field playing with balls.