Increase pay for lawmakers if you want better candidates

If voters aren’t happy with the people who choose to run for office, why not pay elected officials more money?

It could result in “better people,” KIRO Radio’s John Curley pointed out.

Tom Tangney wasn’t quite so sure.

“Most people get into politics because they’re power hungry or want to do good,” he told Curley.

The discussion over higher pay for politicians follows the start of the second special session for Washington lawmakers as they try to reach a consensus on an operating budget.

At the national level, politicians are already making good money, Tom said.

But if the job is that important, shouldn’t taxpayers be willing to pay as much as possible? Pay the President $5 million and more people would be attracted to the job, Curley said.

The pool of candidates would grow, Tom said. But politics isn’t the same as trying to attract people to a job such as teaching, he added.

Curley contemplated running for a state Senate position. That idea screeched to a halt when he found out how much he would be making: $36,000. He would do it for $150,000.

Senators don’t work year-round, Tom pointed out.

However, “they would hold votes on Saturday,” Curley responded.

“Maybe it’s a good idea we’re keeping people like you out,” Tom told Curley.