NEAR the end of a humdrum session, with little accomplished except various tax and funding changes, legislators are on the brink of boosting their own compensation from taxpayers.

Late Tuesday, the House of Delegates added $5,000 more salary for lawmakers - giving them $20,000 annual base pay - along with lucrative changes in their daily expense accounts and medical coverage.

Per diem (per day) expense allowance for all senators and delegates would rise from $115 to $131. That's a lot - especially since lobbyists treat many lawmakers to dinners, breakfasts, lunches and parties, so legislators pay less to feed themselves in Charleston.

Special add-ons for top leaders would rise even more. The current $50-a-day for the Senate president and House speaker would jump to $150, and they could collect it every day of the year, theoretically, whether they're at the Statehouse or not. Smaller boosts would go to other legislative chiefs.

Health premiums through the Public Employees Insurance Agency would become much cheaper for lawmakers. Nonsmokers could save $5,880 for single coverage or $9,072 for family coverage. In effect, this would give legislators an indirect raise.

Originally, the Citizens Legislative Compensation Commission recommended raising lawmaker salaries. This was written into a House bill, but the Finance Committee removed it Sunday - then delegates voted 2-to-1 Tuesday to give themselves a 33 percent raise.

It's true that the basic salary of West Virginia's part-time legislators hasn't been raised since 1994, when a giant leap from $6,500 to $15,000 triggered public outrage, lawsuits and a controversial state Supreme Court ruling. Until now, cautious leaders have avoided poking at a hornet nest.

We agree with House Minority Leader Tim Armstead, R-Kanawha, who said he opposed the hikes because "we have higher priorities to deal with."

Now that the House pay bill has gone to the state Senate, we hope that senators refuse to back this selfish display of greed at taxpayer expense.

Late Tuesday, the House of Delegates added $5,000 more salary for lawmakers - giving them $20,000 annual base pay - along with lucrative changes in their daily expense accounts and medical coverage.

Per diem (per day) expense allowance for all senators and delegates would rise from $115 to $131. That's a lot - especially since lobbyists treat many lawmakers to dinners, breakfasts, lunches and parties, so legislators pay less to feed themselves in Charleston.

Special add-ons for top leaders would rise even more. The current $50-a-day for the Senate president and House speaker would jump to $150, and they could collect it every day of the year, theoretically, whether they're at the Statehouse or not. Smaller boosts would go to other legislative chiefs.

Health premiums through the Public Employees Insurance Agency would become much cheaper for lawmakers. Nonsmokers could save $5,880 for single coverage or $9,072 for family coverage. In effect, this would give legislators an indirect raise.

Originally, the Citizens Legislative Compensation Commission recommended raising lawmaker salaries. This was written into a House bill, but the Finance Committee removed it Sunday - then delegates voted 2-to-1 Tuesday to give themselves a 33 percent raise.

It's true that the basic salary of West Virginia's part-time legislators hasn't been raised since 1994, when a giant leap from $6,500 to $15,000 triggered public outrage, lawsuits and a controversial state Supreme Court ruling. Until now, cautious leaders have avoided poking at a hornet nest.

We agree with House Minority Leader Tim Armstead, R-Kanawha, who said he opposed the hikes because "we have higher priorities to deal with."

Now that the House pay bill has gone to the state Senate, we hope that senators refuse to back this selfish display of greed at taxpayer expense.