In the REAL world, the employer sets the wages and/or increases. I suggest the people who elect someone to an office should be the same ones to “evaluate” the elected person effectiveness, be it good or bad, and THAN set the amount of increase if any has been earned.
No, our elected officials have passed into law, automatic raises for themselves. If no-one questions said raises, they automatically go into effect. Pretty slick of them I would say.
In MA - the pols agreed to give up the right to set their own pay and have it established by a reasonable formula.
The voters agreed and what’s changed now is the pols think getting less than they think they deserve is no longer “reasonable” by their lights.
Their insult to people’s intelligence is far more insufferable than their conceit living within their means is too hard for them to bear.
Just in case they forget, most people in this country can’t raise on a whim their own pay.