Posted on 05/24/2005 7:05:25 AM PDT by edcoil
Edited on 05/24/2005 7:23:04 AM PDT by Sidebar Moderator. [history]
SACRAMENTO – With the state deep in debt and staring at divisive choices between tax increases or service cuts, an independent commission yesterday awarded lawmakers a nearly $1,000-per-month pay raise.
Effective in December, the 12 percent salary increase marks the first raise for California lawmakers in nearly seven years and will widen their lead over Michigan's as the nation's highest-paid legislators.
Most members of the Assembly and Senate will see their pay increase from $99,000 to $110,880 a year, while those in leadership posts will receive up to $127,512. In addition, lawmakers receive $138 a day in tax-free expense money.
Yesterday's unanimous decision by the Citizens Compensation Commission, which will cost taxpayers at least $1.5 million annually, comes as polls show the Legislature's standing with the public remains at or near historic lows.
"Twelve percent is out of line coming at a time when the public is viewing the Legislature in somewhat of a cynical way," said Mark DiCamillo, director of the Field Poll.
But Thomas Dominguez, a member of the commission originally appointed by former Gov. Pete Wilson, said lawmakers have waited long enough for a pay increase.
"The data suggests that they are falling behind, especially when compared to what other state employees have gotten," he told The Associated Press.
Dominguez said if the state does not periodically increase lawmaker pay, fewer people will consider running for office.
"I do not want to see this Legislature turn into a club for the rich and famous," he said.
Majority Democrats are locked in an escalating battle with Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger over the budget and to place spending controls on a special November ballot.
Despite increased revenue from an improving economy, the state still faces a budget gap of billions of dollars in the coming years.
Dan Schnur, a Republican political strategist, said Schwarzenegger can seize on the pay raise as he presses demands for spending discipline.
"As if he needed another line of argument to make his case against the Legislature, he just got handed a beauty," Schnur said.
Lawmakers do not have the power to change the commission's decision.
Schwarzenegger had asked the commission to deny raises for constitutional officers and lawmakers.
"While California's economic recovery is under way, California continues to face tremendous fiscal challenges that have forced the state to forgo investments in many important areas," Patricia Clarey, the governor's chief of staff, wrote in a May 17 letter.
"Increasing the salaries of elected officials at this time would send the wrong signal to California's hard-working citizens."
Some Democrats think the letter was sent in an attempt to capitalize on a touchy issue.
"There's some politics, obviously," said Assemblyman Dario Frommer, D-Los Angeles. "The governor apparently sent a letter saying 'don't do it' and they did it. There was a setup there for some play."
The seven-member commission has two vacancies, and all five who voted yesterday were appointed or reappointed by former Gov. Gray Davis, a Democrat.
While commissioners decided to give lawmakers a raise, they held the line on the salaries of the governor and other constitutional officers. Schwarzenegger, who is independently wealthy, has refused to take his $175,000 annual salary.
The raise will be the first for lawmakers since December 1998. The new base salary of $110,880 compares to $79,650 in Michigan, $79,500 in New York and $69,648 in Pennsylvania, according to a 2005 salary survey conducted by the California commission. The legislatures in the four states meet full time.
Even with the raise, lawmakers will earn less than top elected officials of several large counties, including Los Angeles, where supervisors make $143,838 a year, and San Diego, whose supervisors make $115,070, according to the commission.
California voters stripped state lawmakers of pensions when they passed a 1990 initiative that limits how long legislators can serve in office, a fact some members pointed to when asked about their pay.
"Since we don't get retirement, I'll just put it in my retirement account," said Assemblywoman Jenny Oropeza, D-Carson. "I wasn't looking for (a raise), but if it comes through, I'll accept it gracefully."
Others contend that the salary increase and per diem are necessary because lawmakers must pay for housing costs in Sacramento and in their districts.
While lawmakers cannot control the commission's action, they can individually choose not to accept the additional income, as some have in the past.
California voters created the independent Citizens Compensation Commission in 1990.
"It was a vote of the people. They didn't want salaries of legislators in the legislators' hands. I agree with that," said Assemblyman Greg Aghazarian, R-Stockton.
Assemblyman Tom Umberg, D-Santa Ana, said, "The Legislature doesn't determine the amount or the timing of any pay increase. It's out of our hands."
He said it is appropriate for an outside body to set salaries and added that "legislators work much harder than anyone ever suspects."
For about 3/4 of the people here, all that matters is that the weather is nice and the surf's up.
I like the no pension clause.
With the cost of living in California, from housing
to Starbucks, I can't fathom too many people living
on less than $100k annually, let alone a politician!
Their salary is more then twice the average salary of the people and, they get 50,00 per-diem annually tax free plus no ocost travel, etc. They have a super deal already.
who cares?
The politicos have ran this state so far into the weeds, they deserve a big fat raise for such a job done so impressively and with such indifference towards any semblance of fiscal sanity.
All their lives they've received free medical treatment at the tax payers expense. Three of them enjoyed a great, post scondary, educational experience at the tax payers expenses. All had cushy private sector jobs at the expense of their cultural, union, brethern and now all have at least $140K/year government jobs, again at the tax payers expense.
What surprises me is that everyone except the twelve ruling families hasn't migrated from Mexico.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.