Our View

Our View

Seems like legislators should pay into Social Security like the rest of us

Most of us are aware of voters approving the creation of the Independent Citizens Commission – a salarysetting panel – that boosted the salaries of state representatives and senators from $15,869 a year to nearly $40,000 as well as scores of other salaries.

But, we bet few of us are aware of the fact that state lawmakers don’t pay a single dime in Social Security taxes on the salaries paid to them for their public service.

Now then, just how many of us actually believe these very same lawmakers will go along with a proposed referendum, which allows these politicians to vote on whether they opt in to pay the taxes that the rest of us have to pay?

Lawmakers assigned to a legislative committee are already having second thoughts about taking any action on this resolution in which the General Assembly would ask that the state’s Social Security administrator hold this referendum.

We’re told under this proposal, lawmakers would be required to pay 7.65 percent of their salaries to Social Security and Medicare, and the state would have to pay the same amount in matching funds.

Let’s point out this pay raise granted last year increased lawmakers’ total salaries from $2.13 million in 2014 to $5.28 million.

Combined salary and expense payments to lawmakers totaled $7.57 million in 2016, up from $6.15 million in 2014.

That amount doesn’t include how much each lawmaker received from the state in per diem, mileage and expense reimbursement last year. For instance, Rep.

Milton Nicks (D-Marion) received $17,320 in per diem plus his $39,500 salary. Rep. Deborah Ferguson (D-West Memphis) received $12,722 and Sen. Keith Ingram (D-West Memphis), $13,046 in per diem plus his increased salary.

Let us point out that the per diem of our Crittenden County delegation is far less than the $38,824 in per diem paid to Rep. Jeremy Gillam (R-Judsonia), or the $33,692 in per diem paid to Rep. Jon Woods (RSpringdale).

This latest resolution calling for these lawmakers to pay Social Security taxes has naturally drew support and opposition from our state politicians. For instance, while Sen. Larry Teague (D-Nashville) said his constituents would be offended that he doesn’t pay taxes as they do, Rep. David Meeks (R-Conway) said he opposes having to pay taxes on his state salary. Meeks went on to say, “most of us have other jobs that we’ve had either now or sometimes in the past that we are currently paying on Social Security, so I don’t think it is a big issue with our constituents as far as whether or not we are paying.”

Meeks said he would be paid about $250 a month less by being required to pay taxes on this state income that he says is used “to feed my family”.

Our message to Rep. Meeks and other politicians with similar opinions is that this is a direct slap in the face to the hard working Arkansans who also have “feed their families”. Just exactly what makes these elected politicians think they are better than their constituents and believe they don’t have to abide by the same rules as everyone else?

Sadly, this resolution will go nowhere because we know these politicians will not support imposing a tax on themselves even though they are enjoying the benefits of the raises given to them by this salary-setting panel.