Item no. 10a_supp
Meeting date: December 13, 2022
Port of Seattle
Commissioners Per Diem
December 13, 2022

            Current Commissioner Per Diem
•Resolution 3678—In 2013 Commission:
• Tied commissioners’ salaries to State of WA legislators
• Did not address commissioners’ per diem
•Per diem is $128/day; up to 120 days per year
•Maximum annual per diem is $15,360



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                 Increased Workload
•  Northwest Seaport Alliance
•  Commission Committees
•  Additional number of stakeholders and meetings
•  Most commissioners expire their per diem by August



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             2022 State Legislators’ Per Diem
•  WA state legislators’ rate is $185/day*
•  Rate is set at 89% of the federal per diem rate


* National Conference of State Legislators


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      Legislators’ Requirements to Receive Per Diem
•  State legislators receive compensation for each day's
attendance during the legislative session*
•  Legislators may also receive an allowance for a day or major
portion thereof in which they are engaged in legislative
business**

* Article II of the Washington State Constitution
** RCW 44.04.120

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        Proposed Commissioner Compensation
•Per diem: $185 per day
•Up to 205 days per year
•Maximum annual per diem is $37,925
•  Ties commissioners’ rate to state legislators’ rate



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          Current and Proposed Rate Equations
Rate      # of Days    Total Possible Annual
Allowed           Reward
Current            $128         120             $15,360
per Diem
Proposed          $185        205            $37,925
per Diem


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         Benefits and Caveats of New per Diem
•  Enable and inspire more citizens to run for office
•  Attract citizens of the highest quality to public service*
•  Pay according to duties*
•  Commissioners may choose to not receive per diem
•  New per diem only applies to newly elected or re-elected
commissioners

* Washington Citizen’s Commission on Salaries for Elected Officials

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                        Questions?


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