Bill Description: Senate Bill 1156 would increase the annual salaries of supreme court justices, appeals court judges, district judges, and magistrate judges by $11,228 each.

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Does it increase government spending (for objectionable purposes) or debt? Conversely, does it decrease government spending or debt?

Senate Bill 1156 would amend Section 59-502, Idaho Code, to increase the annual salaries of supreme court justices, appeals court judges, district judges, and magistrate judges by $11,228 each.

This increase would range from a 7% increase for supreme court justices to an 8.5% increase for magistrate judges. Two years ago, these same justices and judges received raises that ranged from 1.6% to 2%. 

According to the fiscal note for Senate Bill 1156, the total annual fiscal impact for these salary increases and associated benefits is $2.5 million. 

At a time when many Idahoans are struggling with rising property taxes, higher utility bills, and inflated food prices, it seems unreasonable to allocate millions of taxpayer dollars to provide larger raises than most other state employees received at equivalent pay ranges. 

Most state employees will receive a raise of $1.20 per hour, which would be the equivalent of a 1.6% to 1.9% raise at the current pay rate for these justices and judges.

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