HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Seventy-one Montana elected officials will get pay raises this summer to match the average salaries of their counterparts in neighboring states.

Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen will get the biggest bump, at 8.6%. Gov. Steve Bullock, Secretary of State Corey Stapleton and the state’s five Public Service Commissioners get the smallest raise, at 2.5%.

The Great Falls Tribune reports that State Auditor Matt Rosendale will refuse his raise and Arntzen plans to donate hers to agency programs.

Other statewide elected officials and judges also will see salary adjustments on July 1. Their pay rates are set by averaging the pay for people in the same positions in Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming.

A bill that would have switched state legislators’ pay to a similar system died during this year’s session.

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Information from: Great Falls Tribune, http://www.greatfallstribune.com

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