THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA: Crist, Other Officials May Face Pay Cuts

Apr 10, 2009

Assuming no overtime, Gov. Charlie Crist will earn less during the upcoming fiscal year as he and other top officials take pay cuts to share the pain.

Under a Senate plan, Crist’s salary will be reduced  by 1 percent to $131,603 starting July 1. Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp would have his salary clipped to $126,125.

The House is asking top officials to cut 5 percent from their paychecks. Crist’s salary would fall more than $6,000 to $126,285.  Lawmakers and other state employees are also slated for cuts, a proposal that drew a testy exchange earlier this week.

During a commttee hearing Tuesday Sen. Al Lawson, D-Tallahassee, said pay cuts could hurt lawmakers who need the money and took offense to Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, for discounting the need for lawmakers to worry about their pay.

With the Senate pay cut, Florida legislators would make $30,336 a year. Teachers are not included in the pay cut proposals.