Legislators OK 62% pay boost

MONTGOMERY - Legislators on Thursday voted themselves an $18,840-a-year pay raise, a 62 percent increase speedily approved without a written record to show who voted for it. Republican Gov. Bob Riley said he would veto the raise, the Alabama Legislature's first since 1991, but conceded that lawmakers likely had enough votes to override his veto and pass the raise into law.

The measure raises the monthly expense allowance lawmakers receive from $2,280 to $3,850.

Combined with each lawmaker's daily salary, a lawmaker's annual compensation would jump to $49,250, a 62 percent increase over the current compensation of about $30,410 a year.

Lawmakers also voted to automatically adjust their pay each year to match inflation. Their monthly expense allowance would be increased annually to reflect changes in the Consumer Price Index.