Midnight Pay Raise

By Kaylib
  • Legislatures Being Jerks

    Legislatures Being Jerks

    The Pennsylvania General Assembly passed pay increases for state lawmakers, judges, and top executive-branch officials.
  • Provisions

    Provisions

    The pay raise included a provision allowing legislators to take their raises immediately in the form of "unvouchered expenses."
  • Reaction

    Reaction

    Outrage over the pay raise was picked up by several influential state blogs like Grassrootspa and PennPatriot Blog. Advocacy groups spawned several grass-roots movements, some geared toward voting out incumbents and some seeking support for a Constitutional Convention or a reduction in the size of the legislature.
  • Reaction

    Reaction

    The legislature repealed the pay raise after four months by a 50-0 vote in the senate a 197-1 vote in the house.
  • Reaction

    Reaction

    Advocacy groups spawned several grass-roots movements, some geared toward voting out incumbents and some seeking support for a Constitutional Convention or a reduction in the size of the legislature.
  • Political Aftermath

    Political Aftermath

    On November 16, 2005, Governor Rendell signed a repeal of the pay raise after a near unanimous vote for repeal
  • Gene Stilt Lawsuit

    Gene Stilt Lawsuit

    Gene Stilt began a lawsuit against the Midnight Pay Raise.
  • Supreme Court Ruling

    Supreme Court Ruling

    The Supreme Court of PA rules that the judges can keep the controversial pay raise.
  • Checks and Balances

    Checks and Balances

    Metcalfe announced a package of "checks and balances" bills to terminate the judicial pay raise.
  • Legacy

    Legacy

    In November 2009, Barbara McIlvaine Smith announced that she would not run for re-election in 2010, saying that she was frustrated with the progress of the post-pay raise reform movement.