Budget provision approved: SCOWIS chief justice, other six justices would be paid the same

MADISON (AP) — The chief justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court would no longer earn $8,000 more than the other six justices under a budget provision that has been approved by a legislative committee.

The Joint Finance Committee on Tuesday, May 5th voted to go along with Governor Scott Walker's proposal doing away with the pay differential.

The Republican-controlled committee voted 12-4 along party lines to go along with Walker's proposal.

The vote came as two justices Patience Roggensack and Shirley Abrahamson disagree over which of them is chief justice. Roggensack has said she will donate the $8,000 differential in pay to a commission that arranges civil legal services for people who can't afford them.

Currently, the chief justice is paid $155,403 while justices earn $147,403.