Senator Mark Montigny is coming under fire from critics of the state legislature's recent pay raise, after it was revealed the New Bedford Democrat could get a raise of up to $50,000 under the new legislative pay bill.

The $18 million pay raise package was passed in both chambers of the state legislature before being vetoed by Governor Charlie Baker. Lawmakers then overturned Baker's veto. Some legislators were opposed to the pay raise, and vowed to either not accept it, or accept it and donate it to charity.

The State House News Service reports that the Senate voted Monday "during a lightly attended informal session" to expand its leadership ranks by adding an additional assistant majority whip. According to the article, Sen. Montigny "offered the order amending the rule that deals with leadership and committee appointments to allow for two assistant majority whips."

The Boston Globe reports that the language in the bill allows for state senators to believe they can take up to three stipends in addition to their $62,500 base salary. The Globe lists Montigny as one of those who stands to benefit most, bringing in up to an additional $50,000 if he keeps his same leadership positions he had in the last legislative session. His stipend for being an assistant majority leader woud go from $15,000 to $35,000, and his stipends for chairing the Senate Rules Committee and the Senate Joint Rules Committee would each rise from $7,500 to $15,000.

The Globe also pointed out that Senate Marc Pacheco would also get $55,000 in additional stipends. The Taunton Democrat is the Senate President Pro Tempore, which would see a stipend go from $15,000 to $50,000. The new rule would also allow him to get a $15,000 bonus as chair of the Committee on Global Warming and Climate Change, and another $5,200 for being vice chair of the Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy.

 

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