Reagan-Backed Federal Pay Raise Would Increase His Pension 56%

The 50% pay raise that President Reagan has recommended for senior government officials, members of Congress and federal judges would also give him a 56% increase in his federal pension, a White House spokesman said Saturday.

The President’s pension is equal to the pay of Cabinet secretaries, which would increase from the current $99,500 to $155,000, if the House and Senate do not vote by Feb. 8--30 days from Monday when Reagan will submit the proposal as part of the 1990 budget--to block the pay raise.

Unaware of Provision

White House spokesman B. Jay Cooper said Reagan was unaware of the pension increase when he approved the pay increase proposal on Thursday and endorsed it again in his radio talk that was broadcast Saturday, but had he been informed of the impact he would have gone ahead with the plan anyway, “the other factors being so overwhelming.”

The $155,000 pension would be added to the $29,711 pension Reagan receives as a former governor of California. His presidential salary is $200,000 a year. Under the pay increase, future presidents would receive $300,000 annually.

Under the pay raise proposal, members of Congress would have their salaries boosted from $89,500 to $135,000. Assistant secretaries in Cabinet departments and the vice president also would receive 50% pay increases.