With a torrent of public opposition to the possibility of a 200 percent legislative pay raise, lawmakers are feeling the heat.

Alex Brandon / Associated Press

Bobby Jindal.

Many legislators said they would not do an on-camera interview about the issue for Eyewitness News due to a firestorm of calls and emails to their legislative offices. At least a dozen representatives said they had never fielded as many calls on an issue and the majority of those calls have been against the hike.

Still, a vote on the issue to raise pay from $16,800 a year to nearly $50,000 has sparked a public outcry.

A survey on WWLTV.com had 92 percent of respondents against the hike, while another survey Thursday had 90 percent of respondents wanting Governor Bobby Jindal to veto the measure if it passes.

While vocally opposing the hike, Jindal has indicated that he will not veto the bill.

The pay hike would place Louisiana lawmakers ninth among states in the amount of pay given to legislators.

Walker Hines, a Democrat from New Orleans, says the negative fallout is changing some minds.

“What's fascinating is, a couple weeks ago, I think there were 65 ‘yes’ votes on a tick sheet. As of this morning, I've already heard there are seven or eight that have defected and gone to ‘no’ votes.

However Hines, and most legislators on both sides of the issue, agree that a pay raise is needed after the body has gone 28 years without one.

“I do think a small pay raise is warranted,” said Hines. “We haven’t had a pay raise in 28 years, but this is absolutely the wrong approach.”

The primary argument of those in favor of the hike is that the current low pay means that only retired people or the wealthy can afford to have the job.

“My primary concern over the raise is making sure good people continue to run for the legislature,” said Jim Tucker, a Republican from Terrytown.

The issue is not along party lines though, with several Republicans arguing for the raise.

“I can clearly, with a very objective mind, look at this problem and say, ‘yes, we do need to do it,’” said John Schroeder, a Republican from Covington. “It’s not a hard vote for me at all.”

While all the debate rages about whether there should be a raise and what the amount should be, the legislature actually set up a process to help decide appropriate pay raises several years ago.

A compensation review commission was created by lawmakers to help establish what their salaries should be.

“The idea was to take the politics out of the legislature’s pay issues,” said Jim Brandt of the Public Affairs Research Council.

The commission recommended a pay raise that would have hiked the pay from the current $16,800 amount to $25,000.

“That is something that could be and should be considered,” said Brandt. “But, this is a 200 percent increase and it just doesn’t seem to be based in reality.”

That recommendation was made in October 2006 and the legislature never voted on it.