Governor vetoes legislative pay raise

• By MICHELLE MILLHOLLON
• Advocate Capitol news bureau
• Published: Jun 30, 2008 - UPDATED: 12:45 p.m.

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Gov. Bobby Jindal vetoed a legislative pay raise this morning, reversing an adamant week-long stance that he would let the salary increase become law.

In doing so, Jindal acknowledged that he was breaking his word to legislators.

“I clearly made a mistake by telling the Legislature that I would allow them to handle their own internal affairs … I am correcting my mistake,” the governor said during a press conference at the State Capitol.

From the moment the controversial measure hit his desk, Jindal blasted the raise — a more than doubling of legislators’ pay — as excessive. But he also was steadfast until today in his refusal to veto the measure.

There has been a tremendous public outcry against the pay raise, leading to recall efforts against Jindal as well as five legislators, including the speaker of the House and two Baton Rouge lawmakers.

However, the governor refused to say whether the hue and cry caused him to change his mind.

“I realized this pay raise is inconsistent with a new Louisiana,” he said.

Jindal said he informed House Speaker Jim Tucker, R-Terrytown, and Senate President Joel Chaisson II, D-Destrehan, of the veto this morning.

Tucker and Chaisson did not return calls for comment.

Tucker’s office said the speaker would release a statement on the veto.

Brenda Hodge, spokeswoman for the state Senate, said Chaisson was in court.

Jindal said he expects legislators to be unhappy that he nixed their bid to more than double their base pay.

Previously, in refusing to veto the pay raise, he cited concerns that lawmakers would unravel his initiatives.