Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg said today he thinks a proposal to block many future state workers from making more than the governor is "worth considering."
"I think it's the right sentiment, but I think that we would want to look at its real world implications before we actually say yes," the Sacramento Democrat said in a meeting with reporters today.
Senate Bill 1368, by Sen. Joel Anderson, R-Alpine, would cap pay for state workers and officers hired or appointed after Jan 1, 2013 at the salary approved for the governor, which is currently $173,987. The limit, which would include overtime pay, would not affect salaries set in current contracts or the state constitution. Employees at the University of California would be exempt because of constitutional protections.
Steinberg said while the idea is popular, he would want "to make sure that we weren't doing something that in some limited instance harmed the public mission" before deciding whether to support the bill.
"You've got world-renowned scientists and brain surgeons and people who are engaged in world-leading research around disease, that sort of thing, I would want to make sure we wouldn't lose the ability to attract and retain those kinds of people," he said.
The first hearing for the bill is scheduled for next month.
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Anderson bill would cap state worker pay at Jerry Brown's salary
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