Senate Democrats initially looked into strategies that would allow their members to voluntarily forgo being paid. That’s because the wording of Oregon statute says lawmakers “shall receive” the payments. But many Senate Democrats asked about the matter are making plans to donate their payments. Oregon lawmakers are paid around $40,000 per year, a base salary that legislators have long argued is a disincentive to hold a role that extends far beyond legislative sessions. To help defray additional costs that come with spending time in Salem, state law grants the $178 daily payment.