Imagine if your State Representative or State Senator walked into your house, opened up your strongbox, removed some money, and placed it directly into his own wallet. Well, disturbingly, state legislators are going to attempt to vote themselves a huge pay increase, which achieves the same effect. Unless you and other concerned taxpayers act now, this week state legislators will vote themselves a 20% pay increase that they don't need or deserve, especially when we're the ones paying for it. Consider the following:
State legislators are paid $66,203 -- each. A few big shots get more, with the House speaker and Senate president pro tem hauling home $103,347.
As reported by the Harrisburg Patriot-News, state legislators get an extra $126 per day stipend just to show up for work. We also give them a car and insurance -- up to $650 a month -- plus mileage. We pay for their health insurance and provide an annual cost-of-living increase, which there salary automatically goes up with inflation.
State lawmakers increased their pensions by 50 percent three years ago. They already make 51 percent more than the median household income in Pennsylvania. And unlike many state residents, pay nothing toward their health insurance.
If their salary is increased to $80,000 or more, Pennsylvanialawmakers would zoom up from having the fourth-highest legislative salaries to the No. 2 spot, behind California's $99,000, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Unlike members of Congress, state legislators are not forbidden from earning outside sources of income in addition to their legislative pay, and many do.
Pennsylvanians were just socked with a higher income tax rate, and we are paying increasingly higher property taxes--thanks to the very politicians who want to take still more of our money to line their own pockets. Working families cannot afford this outrage!
PLEASE CALL AND EMAIL THE FOLLOWING HOUSE AND SENATE LEADERS AND DEMAND THAT THERE BE NO PAY INCREASE.
EVERY PHONE CALL AND EMAIL TRANSMISSION IS VITAL.
Speaker of the House John Perzel
jperzel@pahousegop.com
(717) 787-2016
House Majority Whip Dave Argall
dargall@pahousegop.com
(717) 787-9024
House Appropriations Chairman Brett Feese
bfeese@pahousegop.com
(717) 787-5270
Rep. Sam Smith
ssmith@pahousegop.com
(717) 787-3845
Senator Robert Jubelirer
rjubelirer@pasen.gov
(717) 787-5490
Senator David Brightbill
dbrightbill@pasen.gov
(717) 787-5708
Senator Jeff Piccola
jpiccola@pasen.gov
(717) 787-6801
Saturday, November 20, 2004
Fourth HIGHEST Paid LEGISLATURE (PA) CONSIDERING PAY INCREASE
From another source, Chris L, of YC of PA.
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3 comments:
...looks like it got nixed at the last minute...I guess it is victory? Let's see if they try this crap again.
This pay raise would make them the second highest paid state legislature up from the fourth highest. No wonder they don't want any competition for their jobs!
A school board member in Pgh, Dan R., said something of note on a radio interview. He made the statement that the pay raise was bad (okay with me). Then said that he wanted to see half of the amount of the pay raise dedicated to the city's bailout. He thought that the amount would more than cover the shortfall for the city. (wacky accounting). No way. The city is $20, $40 or $80-million in the hole on an annual basis for 2005, depending upon how it gets measured. The pay raises must be peanuts to this total amount. But, sour peanuts, of course.
The pay raises didn't get passed. Understood. But how much was being floated?
And, there are cost of living pay raises built into the take home pay for thos in PA. So, defacto raises are part of their ongoing efforts.
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