Citizen panel rejects pay hike for WA governor

Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson, who did not offer raises to thousands of state workers in recent contract talks, will not get one himself for the next two years, under a recommendation adopted by a citizen salary-setting panel on Thursday. 

Salaries for the attorney general and lieutenant governor will be frozen too with the proposed schedule drawn up by the Washington Citizens Commission on Salaries for Elected Officials at a daylong meeting in an Olympia hotel.

Commissioners did agree, however, to give state lawmakers, along with the superintendent of public instruction, treasurer, and commissioner of public lands increases of 2% on July 1, 2027 and another 2% on July 1, 2028. Judges, including state Supreme Court justices, would also receive 2% hikes next July and 2% a year later.

And, in one of their final votes, they agreed to boost the salaries of the offices of the secretary of state, insurance commissioner, and state auditor by 5% in each of the next two years.

“We have salaries that will not attract the best candidates available in our state,” said Commissioner Steve Smith in explaining why these state executives should receive a greater bump in their annual earnings.

Thursday’s action stood in stark contrast to the last round of salary setting, in 2024, when the commission raised pay for the jobs of governor and attorney general by 14% over two years. Cost of living adjustments made up a third of the total with the rest intended to account for growing duties of the elected positions and rising costs of living. 

On Thursday, commissioners balked at boosting their salaries in light of the state’s strained fiscal condition and the belief that their job responsibilities haven’t noticeably changed from that last round. Ferguson earns $234,275 a year while Brown hauls in $221,614, making him one of the nation’s highest paid attorney generals.

Commissioner Melody Adams-Forsstrom made the motion to freeze the salary for the governor’s job.

“He got a huge increase last time,” she said. “Though I am speaking for myself, I think we really represent the taxpayers of the state and what they’re facing and their circumstances.”

Throughout the day’s discussions, members made references to new two-year contracts Ferguson’s staff negotiated with state workers unions that contain no across-the-board wage increase or cost of living adjustment.

“In my view if public workers don’t get that I’m not comfortable giving it to elected officials,” said commissioner Sarah Tucker.

One of the day’s closest votes was on a motion to not give a raise to legislators, who earn $72,494. The motion garnered seven votes of support but needed 9 of the 15 present.

The commission will spend the next four months gathering comments on the recommendations. Virtual public hearings are planned Nov. 12, Dec. 10 and Jan. 7. A final hearing is set for Feb. 10 in Olympia, at which commissioners could revise the schedule before taking final action.

Voters established the salary commission in 1987 to end the practice of politicians deciding their own pay. Though funded by the state, it operates independent of the legislative, executive and judicial branches.

Its 17 unpaid members include residents from each of the state’s 10 congressional districts plus representatives of business, organized labor and higher education. Also represented are the legal and human resources professions.

Every two years this panel comes together to consider salary changes. Commissioners are supposed to base decisions on the duties of the job — not the man or woman doing it at the time. They don’t have to give any raises, but they cannot lower the salary of anyone in office.

Elected officials and judges cannot alter what the commission approves.

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