SALEM, Ore – Today, the Oregon Senate passed, with bipartisan support, Senate Joint Resolution 34, which will put before Oregon voters a constitutional amendment to establish an independent commission to review and set salaries for public officials.
The resolution would prohibit state officials, employees, lobbyists, and the immediate families of state officials or employees, from serving on the independent commission. The independent commission would make their determinations in January of each odd-numbered year to be effective for the upcoming biennium.
“Authorizing the creation of an independent public service compensation commission would take the decision to set salaries out of the hands of politicians,” said Senate Democratic Leader Kate Lieber (D – Beaverton & SW Portland), a co-sponsor of the resolution. “I am a strong believer in making sure our government policy is rooted in evidence and analysis. Oregon should have independent experts making these decisions.”
“Compensation professionals who do this work for a living need to make these salary determinations, not special interests, nor legislators with conflicts of interest. I am proud to have joined with Leader Lieber in a bipartisan way to take this issue to the ballot for the people of Oregon to decide how to proceed,” said Senate Republican Leader Tim Knopp (R – Bend), who also co-sponsored SJR 34.
SJR 34 now heads to the Oregon House of Representatives for consideration.
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Oregon Senate Republican Office | Ashley.Kuenzi@oregonlegislature.gov
Oregon Senate Democratic Office | Tess.Seger@oregonlegislature.gov
