Another bill would ask a citizens' panel how much to pay legislators.

Sen. Dan Clodfelter, a Mecklenburg County Democrat, said he filed the bill to get better advice on how to pay lawmakers as well as judges and members of the governor's administration.

Under the bill, a Citizens Commission on Compensation would be created. Thirteen members, a majority, would be chosen randomly from registered voters in each Congressional district.

Another 12 members would be appointed by the speaker of the House, the Senate president pro tem, the governor and the chief justice of the N.C. Supreme Court.

"The concept of the bill is to take the process out of just the hands of the elected officials themselves," he said. 

The commission's annual reports would still have to be adopted by legislators, however.

Previously: Bill would automatically raise legislative pay; other states pay less; pay affects who serves in legislature.

Democrat Larry Kissell ran his congressional campaign last year against Republican Rep. Robin Hayes, a multi-millionaire, with this subplot: common man versus the plutocrat.

With Kissell about to take office representing the 8th House District, his first act is a pledge not to keep the automatic $4,700 cost-living pay hike for members of Congress that went into effect in December, reports Rob Christensen.

Kissell has signed on as a co-sponsor of a bill offered by Republican Rep. Ron Paul of Texas that would revoke the cost of living increase.

"During these difficult economic times, it just isn’t right for Congress to give itself a pay increase while so many people are struggling to make ends meet, and so many others are out of work altogether,” said Kissell, a former high school social studies teacher.

Those 5 percent pay raises the state lottery commission recently approved for staff may soon be reduced.

The state House today adopted an amendment to its budget proposal that would require lottery staff be treated the same as other state employees with regard to pay raises, reports Dan Kane. The vote was 116-0.

If the amendment, offered by Rep. Ty Harrell, a Raleigh Democrat, becomes part of the final budget, lottery staff will likely see their raises decrease.

The House has proposed an increase of 2.75 percent or $1,100, which ever is greater. Easley has proposed a 1.5 percent pay increase, a $1,000 one-time bonus and an additional week off with pay.