Compensation board eyes lawmaker, department head pay review

JUNEAU, Alaska – A commission tasked with reviewing the salaries and benefits of Alaska lawmakers and top state officials isn’t expected to recommend changes before the start of the next legislative session.

Kate Sheehan is director of the state Division of Personnel and Labor Relations.

She says the State Officers Compensation Commission, at a meeting this week, discussed wanting to look at salaries for legislators and heads of major state departments, known as commissioners.

In an email, she says members discussed preliminary findings indicating they would alert Gov. Mike Dunleavy and lawmakers that they would be reviewing those issues in the coming year.

She says a meeting is scheduled for Dec. 6 to take public comment and finalize the preliminary findings.