COLUMBIA, S.C. (WSPA) – A legal battle is underway over state lawmakers giving themselves more money. One senator said the way it was done is unconstitutional, but the lawmaker who pushed for the increase disagrees.
In the state’s new budget, lawmakers voted to more than double their in-district compensation, increasing it from around $1,000 a month to $2,500 a month.

The move was led by Republican Senator Matt Leber (R – Charleston), who said it’s not a pay raise but a reimbursement to help public servants cover travel and district costs.

Leber sponsored a bill that had the same language and said he will try to pass the bill in January.

He said lawmakers have not gotten a raise in in-district expense since 1994, and they need to adjust for inflation. Therefore, he said it’s not a salary raise.

“If we don’t make this at least affordable for the everyday person to run for office, then we’re not going to get the everyday person to run for office,” Leber said. “It’s just going to be elites up there running everything, and they love this argument. “

Not everyone agrees on the decision.

“$1,000 a month arrives in legislators bank accounts via direct deposit. There are no receipts required to submit for reimbursement. It’s just $1,000 deposit into the account. Legislators are free to expend those funds however they deem appropriate,” said Senator Wes Climer (R – York).

The increase was passed as an amendment to the budget and Climer said it wasn’t the right way to do it.

“Regardless of how you feel about a legislative pay raise, this is the wrong way to do it. Violate the principle that the legislature cannot take the people’s money and appropriate it to themselves in real time,” Climer added.
“The proviso method is there for us to use more difficult for the current crop of legislators to continue to work. I felt like it was right to go for it now. “

Climer is now suing the State Treasurer’s Office, and said the South Carolina Constitution bans lawmakers from increasing their own compensation before an election.

He and retired Senator, Dick Harpootlian, have asked the South Carolina Supreme Court to step in, arguing the vote violates the state constitution.

“We are standing here and have filed the suit in order to protect or to defend the constitutional safeguards against the general assembly,” Climer added.

Governor Henry McMaster chimed in on the issue last week.

“They are the ones that are trying to pay those expenses. In good faith, if they use that money for the in-district expenses as they’re supposed to, then if that amount is legitimate, then that’s a proper law,” McMaster said.

The South Carolina Supreme Court has issued a scheduling order requiring the state to respond to the injunction request by next Monday.