Colorado lawmakers mull big pay hikes for elected officers

Colorado lawmakers are hustling to pass a last-minute bill to dramatically raise the pay of elected officials, including themselves.

The bill cleared its final Senate committee Monday on a 6-1 bipartisan vote. The bill could face a vote by the full Senate by the end of the day, giving the pay hike enough time to reach the governor’s desk by the end of the lawmaking session Wednesday.

The governor would get a 30 percent pay hike, from $90,000 a year to about $117,000 a year. State lawmakers would see pay raises of 27 percent, from $30,000 a year to about $38,000 a year. The lieutenant governor and other constitutional officers such as state treasurer would also get raises.

Most of the pay raises wouldn’t take effect until 2019.