When you’re carrying one of the dumbest bills in a legislative session, do your colleagues a favor and introduce it on the first day. That way, everything that comes later looks better by comparison. 

Earning the Day One Dunce Cap this year is a bill that would eliminate legislators’ accountability to their constituents for raising their own pay by creating a rigged “independent” commission to set pay levels for state officials.

This isn’t an advisory body recommending pay levels for subsequent legislative action. It’s mission: set it and forget it. With as little public attention and scrutiny as possible.

It is screamingly bad policy because it lets legislators escape having to vote for and justify a pay hike to their bosses (i.e., us). Instead, it moves Colorado another step away from a citizen legislature and toward professionalized, heavily compensated legislatures like those in California and Pennsylvania.

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Since its creation, the Colorado legislature has been a part-time citizen legislature. The concept is one makes a sacrifice to serve the people for a limited portion of the year. That was true then and it is certainly true today. 

But the compensation levels are clearly stated, known to all who jump into the arena. And no legislator – even the current compensation bellyachers – has refused to take the oath, running from the Capitol crying, “Nobody told me they were paying me this pittance!”

The legislature is not supposed to be your full-time job. In fact, we Coloradans are better served because, regardless of party, most senators and representatives bring a perspective from outside politics to their work inside the Capitol.

Yet there is a common refrain our 100 legislators are underpaid. 

The math is not in their favor.

Colorado legislators, on average, are paid about $42,000 for 120 calendar days of work plus health benefits, and per diem and mileage payments. That’s for four months of session. Multiply just the salary by three to equate to a full calendar year and that equates to $126,000 annually.

The average Coloradan earns about $37,000 annually, less than legislators make for four months. The average household income is about $80,000. 

But many argue they deserve significantly more given the demands of the job beyond the annual session. Others assert higher compensation would produce a wider array of legislators, including those who are younger, people of color or are of limited means (yet the current legislature hardly resembles a cowboy House of Lords).

If you believe a pay raise is due, carry a bill, have a hearing and take an up-or-down vote, in public and on the record. It’s not easy, but it’s at least principled.

The chicken workaround is by Sen. Chris Hansen, Rep. Naquetta Ricks and Rep. Regina English who hatched a plan to get pay raises out of the accountable, transparent legislative process and into the hands of an appointed, unaccountable commission of “experts.”

Enter the Independent State Official Pay Commission, appointed by Gov. Jared Polis and the bipartisan legislative leadership. Far from a panel of unscripted average citizens, the commission would include those experienced in personnel management, business management and “total compensation packages.” 

It doesn’t include one average taxpayer who has to pay for whatever this pay-raise kangaroo court concocts. 

Recall too these folks are appointed, ensuring the commission is as rigged as a pro wrestling match, but with less suspense. 

Think about the interviews.   

“So what are your feelings about the level of compensation for us legislative working stiffs?”

“Senator, I think for a part-time citizen legislature you all get plenty and I don’t think you’ve earned another dime,” said no one who will ever be appointed.

The product of this charade will be a “professional” analysis that will create well-crafted, footnoted reports detailing the infusion of cash due our legislators so they can make ends meet and Colorado can attract the best and the brightest. 

What they won’t produce is an analysis showing a highly paid professional legislature brings better results for taxpayers or families. Or that it will find ways to spend less, cut taxes and keep government in check. Because it won’t. 

Let’s name this panel for what it is: the Hoover Commission. It will vacuum up taxpayers’ money and deposit it in the pockets of state leaders – and you won’t be able to do a thing about it. 

Sean Duffy, a former deputy chief of staff to Gov. Bill Owens, is a communications and media relations strategist and ghostwriter based in the Denver area.