LEGISLATURE: Lawmakers vote to cut own pay 4.6 percent

Lawmakers voted Monday to return 4.6 percent of their salary for this legislative session to the state treasury.

Lawmakers are only paid for the first 60 days of any regular session and earn $8,777 in salary. The measure will reduce their pay about $403.

State workers' pay was cut 4.6 percent during the current two-year budget cycle.

Assemblyman Steven Brooks, D-Las Vegas, said he has received numerous e-mails from concerned citizens and state workers who have lost jobs or suffered pay cuts.

"This is an opportunity for us to say we understand, care and share in the sacrifice," he said.

In the Senate, the resolution was also adopted unanimously. Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford, D-Las Vegas, said the resolution was "in recognition of the sacrifice that has already been made by state workers and teachers."

Sen. Valerie Wiener, D-Las Vegas, said many members voluntarily wrote checks back to the state equal to 4.6 percent after the end of the 2009 session. She said the resolution is "designed to do the honorable thing, to stand with our colleagues in state government."

"We all ought to stand up and say we're with you,' said Senate Minority Leader Mike McGinness, R-Fallon.

Sen. James Settelmeyer, R-Minden, pointed out that this reduction applies to the current budget. He said that, whatever lawmakers do to state workers in the coming biennial budget, lawmakers should do to their own salaries as well.