Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal vetoed a bill that would more than double legislators' salaries—a bill he promised not to veto.
The move weakened legislators' trust in the governor, said some legislative leaders.
SB 672, would have raised legislators' base salaries from $16,800 to $37,500 immediately and add annual adjustments based on the Consumer Price Index. The bill includes a $143 per diem while the representatives are in session.
"I have opposed this pay raise at every turn and from the very beginning," Governor Jindal said in a press release. "A doubling of legislative pay is clearly excessive and it takes effect prior to the next election, which I believe is bad policy. This bill would also have set up a system to give legislators automatic pay raises in the future without additional legislative votes which is a lack of accountability that we cannot accept."
The public expressed outrage when Jindal said he would turn the decision over to legislators earlier this year.
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