Shooting down recommendations from the State Officers Compensation Commission, the Alaska Senate, on Monday, February 27th, unanimously rejected the commission’s recommended pay raises for the governor, lieutenant governor and the heads of state agencies.
The Alaska State Officers Compensation Commission, in November 2023 released the following details regarding pay increases for executive state employees.
“Regarding the Governor, Lieutenant Governor and department heads pay, the commission found salaries had not kept up with the 2% per year cost of inflation. The Governor and Lieutenant Governor last received a salary increase in 2011. Department heads last received an increase in 2015. For the Governor, this would result in an increase in pay from $145,000 to approximately $176,000 and for the Lieutenant Governor, it would result in an increase from $125,000 to approximately $140,000. For department heads, the increase would be from $141,160.50 to approximately $168,000 (final amounts to be determined by Division of Finance).
The Alaska State Officers Compensation Commission is comprised of members appointed by the governor. The commission was established in 2008 to make decisions about legislators pay; allowing votes on pay raises to not fall on the lawmakers.
The Alaska State Officers Compensation Commission is directed by law to “review the salaries, benefits, and allowances of members of the legislature, the governor, the lieutenant governor, and each principal executive department head and prepare a report on its findings at least once every two years, but not more frequently than every year.”
The Alaska Senate, according to Senate President Gary Stevens, voted 19-0 against the recommended pay increases.
Link to Alaska State Officers Compensation Commission Final Findings & Recommendations