HARRISBURG -- Three years ago, Bill McIntyre, a 70-ish retiree from nearby Camp Hill, became a local celebrity overnight because of just three words -- "Get a life."

The sarcastic comment came in an e-mail from state Sen. Bob Mellow, D-Lackawanna, in response to Mr. McIntyre's persistent criticism of the 16 to 34 percent pay raises that legislators voted themselves in July 2005.

Mr. McIntyre, of course, was joined by many citizens groups and angry taxpayers around the state, which led to the pay raise being repealed. Now he's at it again, opposing a 1995 law that, every Dec. 1, grants an automatic "cost-of-living adjustment" to all 253 legislators, more than 1,000 state judges, state row officers such as the attorney general and several dozen executive branch members.

An increase of 2.8 percent (based on the inflation rate in the Philadelphia area), took effect yesterday and led to a news conference here in support of one lawmaker's proposal to repeal the 13-year-old COLA law.

"This Capitol is one of the most expensive places in Pennsylvania," Mr. McIntyre complained. "It really gets my ire up. Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus -- if you're in the Pennsylvania state Legislature."

He was joined by Gene Stilp of Taxpayers and Ratepayers United, Dick Schirato of Pennsylvania Citizens for Legislator Accountability and Dennis Baylor of the Pennsylvania Accountability Project in support of a bill to be offered in 2009 by Rep. Barbara McIlvaine Smith, D-Chester.

Mr. Stilp recalled that skeptics thought the 2005 pay raise would never be repealed, but it was.

"I predict that this COLA law will be overturned and the money given back to the people of Pennsylvania. The people and the economy won't stand for it," claimed Mr. Stilp, who dreamed up the inflatable pink pig that was used to protest the pay raise.

Ms. McIlvaine Smith, who will start her second term in January, unveiled her anti-COLA bill last week. It's inappropriate for officeholders and others to take raises, she said, because the state faces a 2008-09 revenue shortfall that could reach $2 billion.

"Our constituents are losing their jobs and everyone is struggling to pay their bills," she said. "Thousands will not see their salaries or wages increased in the coming year, so why should we?"

The 2.8 percent salary increase for legislators will hike rank-and-file pay to $78,315, with top leaders as high as $122,000.

Mr. Baylor said that since 1995, the base pay for legislators has risen by more than $16,000 (up from about $62,000), while the average middle class wage has risen by only about $2,000, to $44,670.

Legislative leaders aren't exactly rushing to defend the COLA. Bob Caton, a spokesman for incoming House Speaker Keith McCall, D-Carbon, declined to comment yesterday.

Sen. Joe Scarnati, who is both the new lieutenant governor and the Republican leader of the state Senate, said recently that COLAs for all officials should be considered for cuts, in light of the state's growing revenue shortfall. Gov. Ed Rendell, who will make nearly $175,000 in 2009, said he might stop the COLAs for himself and other executive branch officials.

In the past, legislators have defended the automatic increases by saying they eliminate the need for them to vote themselves actual pay increases. But the existence of the automatic increase didn't stop them from approving hefty pay raises in July 2005, only to back down four months later.

Some critics think an independent agency should be created to recommend the size of future state pay raises.