Senate Joint Resolution No. 88 was enacted by the 1980 Session of the Virginia General Assembly and established this Commission to study the compensation and salary of the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, and Speaker. The Commission was required to present its findings and recommendations to the 1981 Session of the Virginia General Assembly.

This reporting date was particularly important since the Constitution of Virginia provides that the compensation of the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney General shall be prescribed by law and shall neither be increased nor diminished during the period for which these individuals shall be elected. In the case of the Speaker, the Constitution of Virginia provides that his salary shall be prescribed by law, but that no increase in salary shall take effect until after the end of the term for which he was elected. Thus, if any salary changes are to become effective for the next Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, and Speaker, the 1981 Session of the Virginia General Assembly must take action by adopting new salaries for the next term.

The Commission, which consisted of Senator Edward E. Willey, Chairman, and Delegate Richard M. Bagley, Vice Chairman, and seven of Virginia's most prominent and successful business leaders, conducted a thorough historical review of the salaries of these individuals over the past 25 years. In addition, the Commission examined the relationship of their salary to their counterparts in other states, as well as their responsibilities; examined their fringe benefits and the effect of inflation on salaries, especially since the salaries for these individuals must endure for an entire term of office; and examined the salaries of other key officials of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government, both state and federal.

Based on an analysis of the data and material examined by the Commission, the Commission unanimously makes the following recommendations to the Governor and to the Virginia General Assembly.

The Governor

The Commission recommends that the annual salary of the next Governor be increased to $80,000 from the present $60,000. The Commission believes this salary increase is necessary for a number of important factors. The first is the need to keep Virginia's salary in line with salaries in the other states. At the present time, Virginia's Governor is tied for 11th highest salary with four other states. In addition, a number of southern states provide a higher salary than Virginia -- Texas, Tennessee, and Louisiana. Secondly, it must be recognized that this salary will be in effect for four years and will be diminished annually by inflation. Since January, 1978, the date of the last salary increase, prices have clearly outstripped the last salary increase. The recommended salary increase, although a relatively large dollar amount, is less than a 7.5% increase per annum. Finally, the present salary of the Governor is barely ahead of the salary of the cabinet secretaries which will be $59,000 in fiscal year 1981-82. Moreover, the Commission has also found that this year there are approximately 138 State employees whose annual salaries are in excess of the present Governor's salary.

The Commission does not recommend that the Governor's salary be the highest annual salary paid to a State employee. It is recognized that there are specialized disciplines where it may be necessary to pay a salary commensurate with the particular skill and training of the individual involved that would require a salary greater than that of the Governor. At the same time, the Commission wishes to stress that the salary of the Governor not be the governing factor in setting other salaries. The Commonwealth should continue to attract the most able administrators and should do so recognizing that the money to pay these salaries is raised by taxes levied on the public.

The Attorney General

The Commission recommends that the annual salary of the Attorney General be increased from the present $45,000 to $64,000. At the present time, Virginia's Attorney General has a salary that is tied with two other states for 19th highest. Many surrounding and neighboring states provide a much higher annual salary, for example, the State of Tennessee provides a salary in excess of $65,000. Moreover, the last two Attorneys General have received a smaller salary increase than the increase in the consumer price index which has resulted in a declining real value of salary. It is the sense of the Commission that in recent years the Office of the Attorney General in all states have experienced a growth in responsibilities and duties. The importance of the position requires that a salary be paid which would attract the caliber of individual necessary to assume the important duties of this office. The Commission believes the recommended salary increase is necessary.

The Lieutenant Governor and Speaker

The Commission recommends that the annual salary of the Lieutenant Governor and the Speaker be increased to $25,000 from the present $16,000. The Commission notes the historical precedent of paying these two individuals equal salaries. The Commission has also found these two positions do not fare well when comparing their salaries with their counterparts in other states. These individuals spend a large portion of their day in the conduct of their official duties. In addition, the Lieutenant Governor must be ready to assume the duties of the Governor should the need arise. The Commission believes that the recommended salary adjustments are necessary to compensate these individuals for the responsibilities that they assume. The Commission recommends that these new salaries apply for the next four-year term of the Lieutenant Governor and the next two terms of the Speaker. Senator Willey and Delegate Bagley abstained from voting on this recommendation.