Salaries of California legislators and top elected officials will be frozen for the next year, the state's independent salary commission decided last week. The commission approved the freeze on a 4-1 vote, rejecting a proposal by Chairman Charles Murray to cut elected officials' salaries by 10 percent. "As far as I'm concerned, we didn't send a strong enough message," Murray said after the vote. The commission's action Tuesday came amid a state budget deficit projected at $15.2 billion and an order by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger that state agencies cut their spending by 10 percent. Decisions by the pay commission are final and take effect December 1st. The independent panel of seven gubernatorial appointees was created by voters through passage of Proposition 112 in 1990. Schwarzenegger is eligible for a salary of 212,179 dollars but accepts no state pay. California's attorney general and superintendent of public instruction currently receive 184,301; the controller, treasurer and insurance commissioner receives 169,743; and the lieutenant governor, secretary of state and Board of Equalization members each receive 159,134. The four leaders of the Assembly and Senate currently are paid 133,639 dollars. All lawmakers also receive nearly 35 thousand in per diem pay for living expenses.