Instead of letting Congress dictate their own payrolls, they should be paid the median of their state's household income according to the US census. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/index.html
Furthermore, the president should be paid the median of the US household income according to the US census.
Our politicians are used to high pay, which is currently 174,000, and that's before benifits. This creates career politicians that are out of touch with their constituents. If they are paid an average of the people they represent, they would be more inclined to make an overall improvement for all Americans.