Montgomery, AL – State Representative Darrio Melton (D-Selma) earlier today offered an amendment to repeal the 2007 legislative pay raise and return legislative pay to the level it was before the 2007 pay raise was passed. Not a single Republican voted to support the Democratic amendment.
“Today, the Democrats voted to repeal the pay raise and the Republicans voted to keep it,” said Melton. “I can’t justify a pay raise for legislators when people in my district are hurting.”
House Republicans have offered a bill that would tie legislative pay to the median household income and increase the reimbursement rate for mileage. Democrats have argued that this will increase the legislative pay for House members who travel further to come to Montgomery.
“The Republicans went back on their word,” said Melton. “The Republicans campaigned on a promise to repeal the pay raise. Today, not only did they vote to keep the pay raise intact, but they actually sponsored a bill that would create another pay raise.”
Melton added that he was disappointed that House Republicans had chosen to vote on the legisltive pay raise before addressing more serious issues.
“When we still have the education and general fund budgets, charter schools, illegal immigration, and legislative redistricting to address, why is the first major issue we voted on a legislative pay raise?” asked Melton. “I think the Republican leadership in Montgomery has the wrong priorities.”
Rep. Darrio Melton was elected to the Alabama House of Representatives in 2010. He represents the 67th district, which includes the city of Selma. Rep. Melton received his Master of Divinity from Emory University in Atlanta.
