Rep. Sean Garballey, Democrat of Arlington, says he will donate his 5.5-percent pay raise to either a food pantry in Arlington or fuel assistance in West Medford, the State House News Service reported Jan. 8.

"I think in these dire economic times, for me personally, my constituents are struggling and they're not going to see a pay raise," he was quoted as saying.

He added that he is not passing judgment on his colleagues, who can make their own decisions.

 "Not every representative is in the same position. I'm making this decision where I'm at."

YourArlington has asked Garbally to comment. It has asked Reps. Will Brownsberger and Jay Kaufman, both of whom represent part sof Arlington, how they voted and to explain why.

Brownsberger wrote via e-mail Jan. 9 that he had voted to accept the raise. His comment: "I am a father of three."

Kaufman has not yet commented to YourArlington but has told another media outlet that he is taking his raise and that he consider his family situation and decide whether to donate it.

The $3,203 raise, authorized under a mechanism approved a decade ago by state voters and enumerated by Gov. Deval Patrick on Jan. 9, pushes the base pay of lawmakers to $61,440, annually, a spike that will come as hundreds of state employees face layoffs with billion-dollar budget problems still waiting to be tackled.

State House News Service reported the following:

Speaker Salvatore DiMasi described the raise as "modest" and said he'd take the bump in pay.

"In 1998, a Constitutional amendment approved by voters removed legislative pay decisions from the political process," DiMasi said in a statement. "Under the Constitutional amendment, legislative pay increases or decreases are tied to median household income in the Commonwealth and the Governor is required to make the calculation. This year, it will increase modestly. Next term, we have already been told to expect a pay cut."

The statement declined to say who had told lawmakers to expect a pay cut and a DiMasi spokesman declined to comment beyond the statement.

Entering a leadership meeting in DiMasi's office Thursday, Rep. Paul Donato emphasized that the voters had approved the mechanism for adjusting the pay of legislators. Donato said accepting the raise is an "individual decision," but said it averaged 2.6 percent a year and that he comes to work every day on behalf of his constituents.

Reps. Daniel Bosley, Byron Rushing and Eugene O'Flaherty grinned and ignored questions from a pair of reporters about the pay raise as they walked into DiMasi's office.

Rep. Ronald Mariano, Democrat of Quincy, said:. "What about it? The governor submitted 5.5."

Asked whether she would accept the raise, Rep. Marty Walz, Democrat of Boston, said, "Nice to see you," and walked away.

Reps. Karyn Polito, Republican of Shrewsbury, and Garrett Bradley, Democrat of Hingham, were among the first to reject the raise publicly. Some freshman lawmakers, in their first full day on the job, privately grumbled about being faced with a politically arduous choice a day after joining their class in casting closely watched votes to reelect DiMasi as speaker.

In a letter to Treasurer Timothy Cahill her office provided to the News Service, Polito said she thought the $640,600 in aggregate additional pay for lawmakers would be better used to offset toll hikes, increase local aid, and fund other services.

Bradley declined to comment and informed Cahill of his decision in a letter.

Several, like House Minority Leader Bradley Jones, said they'd donate their raises to local charities. "Now is not the time to keep this raise," Jones said in a statement. "We are facing the worst economy we've seen in decades and I would not be comfortable at this time putting that money in my pocket, while so many people are struggling to make ends meet."

Rep. Kate Hogan, Democrat of Stow, said she would donate the pay raise to public libraries in Bolton, Hudson, Maynard and Stow.

Freshman Rep. James Arciero, Democrat of Westford, declined the raise.

Rep. Linda Dorcena Forry, Democrat of Dorchester, called the raise "reasonable" and said the voters "voted and said we don't want the legislators to decide their pay raises. It's part of the Constitution."

"I really would be interested in giving it to my legislative aide," added Rep. Danielle Gregoire, Democrat of Marlborough. A former legislative aide herself, the freshman representative said she would also be interested in putting the money into the state General Fund, or perhaps helping to pay for a new ladder truck in Southborough.