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In August 2007, at least through his campaign materials, then-Congressman Bobby Jindal promised voters that he would, as governor, “prohibit Legislators from giving themselves pay raises that take effect before the subsequent election.” Despite the pledge of less than a year ago, the Republican governor now says he won't veto a bill that increases lawmakers' salaries to $37,500, from $16,800. The Senate on Monday approved the House-backed compromise bill, and while Jindal has spoken out against the increase he's also vowed not to veto the largest legislative boost in nearly 30 years. “I will keep my pledge to let them govern themselves and make their own decisions as a separate branch of government,” Jindal said in a news release.

Jindal's action—or inaction—stands in stark contrast to the vow he made voters on page 5 of his 2007 spending platform, entitled “Government Reform: Controlling Runaway State Spending.” In it, Jindal states, “Any increase in salary approved by the Legislature should take effect after the next election so the public can decide who deserves that compensation.” Asked if the campaign promise mirrors the governor’s current stance, press secretary Melissa Sellers responded in the affirmative, saying the governor still maintains the same position. “(Jindal) said this again at a press conference last week after the House's vote and continues to point out that not only is the Legislature's move to double their pay completely unreasonable, but it should not take effect until after the next election," Sellers says.

The administration's position is that Jindal's campaign promise doesn't conflict with his allowing Senate Bill 672 to become law, despite the fact Sen. Ann Duplessis' bill makes the raises effective July 1, more than three years before the next election.

Critics of the pay raise, including C.B. Forgotson, a Hammond attorney and former chief counsel for the budget-drafting House Appropriations Committee, argue Jindal can't have it both ways. In his online blog, Forgotson, who distributed the campaign literature this morning through his e-mail service, wrote, “Jindal says that he is keeping his word to 76 politicians (who voted for the pay raise), but is breaking his word to over 2 million voters and citizens of Louisiana.”

For now, lawmakers have until the close of business today to file a signed affidavit with the speaker’s office indicating they want to forgo the pay increase and remain at their current salary levels. Doing so would also prohibit them from receiving the annual adjustments. As for Jindal, he now has 19 days to either sign or veto the legislation before it becomes a law on its own. At least that would be the administration’s style up until this point. To date, Jindal has allowed 22 individual pieces of Legislation to be enacted without his signature. Considering the timeline, that’s more than any other governor in recent history, save Jindal’s mentor, former GOP Gov. Mike Foster, who took to the sidelines on 47 bills over eight years.

But legislative independence may not be the only reason Jindal is avoiding a veto. The House came within two votes last week of overriding the new governor’s veto on a retirement bill. If the political will amongst lawmakers is strong enough for that, and a self-initiated pay increase, it’s indeed there for an override, which would only weaken Jindal’s already-rocky standing with legislators.—Jeremy Alford