In case you were unaware of it, you have given a gift to your local state legislators and will do the same in January to members of the executive branch, other key elected officials and members of the state and local judiciaries.

Thanks to the annual cost-of-living adjustment legislation that was passed in 1995 and which takes effect automatically, these officials received a 1.9% raise on Dec. 1, and they didn’t have to go through the messy on-the-record embarrassment of voting for it.

The 1.9% figure is tied to the year-over-year change in the consumer price index published by the U.S. Department of Labor for urban consumers in the mid-Atlantic region. By comparison, those on Social Security will receive a 1.6% increase next year partially offset by an increase in Medicare monthly expenses.

Legislators are always leery about increasing their own pay, because it makes voters recall the 2005 debacle when former Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell signed a bill that increased pay for state lawmakers, judges and top executive-branch officials.

The public’s outcry was so intense that four months later every legislator except one voted to rescind the pay hike, and Rendell signed it, but the damage had been done. Seventeen legislators, including Senate President Pro Tempore Robert Jubelirer and Senate Majority Leader David J. Brightbill, both Republicans, lost in the 2006 primaries because of the voters’ revolt. One state Supreme Court judge was not retained.

More incumbents were defeated in the 2006 general election, including House Minority Whip Mike Veon, a Democrat who was the only legislator to vote against the repeal.

Some such as Gov. Tom Wolf do not take the cost-of-living increase. In fact, Wolf, who is a self-made successful businessman from York County, has not taken a cent of compensation since taking office in 2015. Some legislators donate the cost-of-living increases to their favorite charities or to help various causes near and dear to their hearts.

This year’s increase means that rank-and-file legislators — those with no key committee leadership assignments — will be making about $90,300 a year, third highest in the nation next only to California and New York.

Pennsylvania legislators had been number two for a number of years until New York gave its Assembly and Senate members a large pay increase last year.

California legislators receive $110,459 a year and $182 daily expenses when the Legislature is in session. New York legislators get $110,000 and $174 in daily expenses including overnight accommodations. If they don’t require overnighters, the per diem is $156.

In addition to their compensation, Pennsylvania legislators get $183 each day they are in Harrisburg. This year, the House was scheduled to be in full session for 73 days while the Senate was scheduled for 52 days. Neither had session days in July and August.

With the pay hike, legislators will get $1,725 to $90,294. The leaders of the House and Senate — House Speaker Mike Turzai, R-Allegheny, and Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati, R-Jefferson — will see their salaries go to $140,584.

The four caucus floor leaders in the House and Senate will each make almost $130,900, while the four caucus whips and the four Appropriations Committee chairs, including Sen. Pat Browne, R-Lehigh, chair of the Appropriations Committee, will receive $121,123.

Supreme Court Chief Justice Thomas Saylor is the highest-paid official in state government. With his $4,000 raise, he will be earning $221,123 annually.

County court judges in Carbon, Schuylkill and Monroe counties will receive nearly $3,500 more to $186,477. President judges Roger Nanovic of Carbon, William E. Baldwin of Schuylkill and Margherita Patti-Worthington of Monroe get a bit more. Since Northampton and Lehigh are home-rule counties, the salaries of these judges are handled differently.

Lt. Gov. John Fetterman’s salary will go to $169,400, and the three elected row officers — Auditor General Eugene DePasquale, Attorney General Josh Shapiro and Treasurer Joe Torsella — will receive $167,800.

Wolf’s 18 cabinet members will get a raise, with those who head larger departments such as Education and State getting $161,400.

For the average Social Security recipient who gets $1,294 a month this year, they will get an additional $248.45 for all of 2020 or $20.70 a month, but they will have to pay an additional $6.10 a month in increased Medicare Part B costs.

By Bruce Frassinelli | tneditor@tnonline.com