Illinois' 6th Congressional District constituent Melissa Sanchez-Fisher feels that U.S. House Rep. Sean Casten (D-Downers Grove) should reconsider his priorities before speaking out again on the merits of a proposed pay raise for legislators such as himself.
The McHenry County Republican told McHenry Times that she objects to Casten's recent comments in The Hill that members of congress and their staff deserve a 2.6-percent cost-of-living raise. Casten, a freshman congressman who defeated incumbent Peter Roskam last November, told the Washington publication he defends the proposed $4,500 increase from the current $174,000 salary because he wants to attract the "best and brightest" candidates for the job.
"If Sean Casten believes that people are attracted to the idea of a congressional office, then he has a misconception of what the office stands for and needs to uphold," Sanchez-Fisher said. "I firmly believe that people who run for Congress have great strength and duty to public service. If they are there for the glory, social media follows and handshakes, they should not be in office."
U.S. House Rep. Sean Casten
| www.nbcchicago.com
While Casten supports the proposed raise for Congress, which is part of the $1 trillion spending plan slated for a vote on Capitol Hill, other Democrats such as Reps. Tom Malinowski (D-NJ) and Cindy Axne (D-Iowa) are opposed.
"Some of the most vulnerable House Democrats who only arrived on Capitol Hill five months ago are pushing back, fearing the pay raise won't go over well with the public," reports The Hill.
And then there's Illinois' own Casten. He told the newspaper that he offered competitive wages to prospective employees as a business owner for the same reason legislators should get an increase.
"I didn't tell people, 'Come here because you're so committed to our mission that you're willing to, you know, sleep on your friend's couch and work for peanuts.' It's horrible that we force people to do that," Casten was quoted in The Hill, which pointed out that while rank-and-file congressional members make $174,000 annually, majority and minority leaders pull in $193,400, and the Speaker makes the highest salary at $223,500.
Sanchez-Fisher said Casten's remark shows that he is out of touch with constituents such as herself, and it may cost the congressman come election time.
"There are several points of data that show that the $174K is higher than what most average citizens make," she said. "The district voted him into the office and I am sure [voters] have an opinion now."
If approved, the congressional raise will go into effect in January.
The 6th Congressional District of Illinois covers parts of Cook, DuPage, Lake, Kane and McHenry counties.
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