A majority of those who answered this past week’s Question of the Week: Will Miley Cyrus become the next Britney Spears? said NO.

Ten — 26.32 percent — answered YES while 14 — 36.84 percent — said NO and 14 — 36.84 percent — replied DON’T CARE.

The Question of the Week poll is not scientific and only reflects the opinions of those Internet users who have chosen to participate. The Question of the Week is just another way the Herald’s readers can voice their opinions about issues that affect them.

This week’s Question of the Week deals with the big pay raise state lawmakers voted for the governor and state department heads.

The bill was passed in the final hours of the 2008 legislative session. The measure will, effective July 1, give the governor a 9.7 percent pay increase. Also, state elected officials such as the lieutenant governor, auditor, treasurer, secretary of state and agriculture secretary will get 23.6 percent pay increases. The attorney general received about a 9 percent raise. Those figures come out to $142,540 for the governor and $127,530 each for the department heads and $137,330 for the attorney general.

During a stop at The Herald’s office this past week, Iowa Senate Majority Leader Michael Gronstal said the raises were necessary because deputies were making more than the state department heads.

“We now have a situation where the state auditor makes less than his top deputy,” Gronstal said.

During a stop in Ottumwa, Gronstal said the state’s 9 percent economic growth rate could handle the salary increase and the raises would take the politics out of the salary discussions.

Many area Democratic lawmakers voted for the measure. They include State Reps. Eric Palmer, Mary Gaskill, Kurt Swaim and John Whitaker and state Sens. Tom Rielly, Keith Kreiman and Becky Schmitz.

Was this the right thing to do? What do you think?

This week’s Question of the Week: Was the pay raise for the governor and other officials necessary? YES NO or DON’T CARE.

People can vote on The Herald’s Web site, oskaloosa.com, from Monday through noon on Friday. Then, votes will be tallied and published the following Monday.