The Minnesota Board to set state legislative salaries, Amendment 1 will be on the Nov. 8 ballot in Minnesota as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment. I challenge you to read the proposed amendment, think how you might vote and then continue reading about what this really means and perhaps rethink how you will vote.

A yes vote supports creating an independent, citizen-run board to set the salaries of state legislators, thereby taking away legislators’ power to set their own salaries.

A no vote opposes creating an independent, citizen-run board to set the salaries of state legislators, thereby continuing to allow legislators to determine their own salaries.

Constitutional amendments in Minnesota require approval from a majority of all voters casting a vote in the election, which means that filling out a ballot but not voting on Amendment 1 has the same effect as voting no.

Legislators typically have other jobs and being a legislator is serving, not their main source of income. The amendment gives the power to raise their salaries to a 16-member board — eight chosen by the governor and eight chosen by the chief Supreme Court justice of Minnesota. So basically these 16 people would take all power, and it really boils down to the two people who chose them who decide the pay. I don’t care if these two people choosing the board are Democrat or Republican; it’s too much power for two people.

They haven’t raised their pay since 1999, but many feel $31,141 is fair pay for a part-time job. Even when a pay raise is justified, it should be done openly. If this is made a constitutional amendment, it will be forever, and the board — no public input — can raise it as much and as often as the board wants. We are in effect, giving them a blank signed check to be given out whenever they wish.

If you vote no, the legislators have to vote themselves to give themselves a pay raise, and we, the people, can see how they voted. I would urge a no vote for continued transparency.

Vickie Froehlich

Kenyon