Posted on 06/07/2008 5:43:14 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
Salaries of California lawmakers and top elected officials should be cut to share the pain of a massive budget deficit, the head of the state's independent salary commission has concluded.
Charles Murray said Friday that he plans to propose a cut of perhaps 10 percent when the California Citizens Compensation Commission meets Tuesday in Sacramento City Hall.
"It's across-the-board for everybody under our power – from the governor on down," Murray said.
If approved by the seven-member commission, a 10 percent cut would slice annual pay by amounts ranging from about $21,000 for the governor to $11,600 for legislators.
Because the state constitution prohibits altering salaries in midterm, cuts could be imposed this year only on all 80 Assembly members and half the state's 40 senators.
Any reductions approved Tuesday would not be imposed until 2010 on the governor, attorney general, other constitutional officers and the 20 senators whose terms expire that year, Murray said.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger does not accept state pay and would not personally be affected by any cut.
Murray cautioned that he considers 10 percent a "place mark," a reasonable cut, but that he or the commission could opt to go higher or lower based on testimony Tuesday.
--snip--
Murray noted that a 10 percent cut would be similar to the belt-tightening that the governor has demanded of state agencies in response to a projected $15.2 billion deficit.
Never before has the independent salary-setting commission cut officeholders' pay since voters created the panel in 1990 by passing Proposition 112. Its members are gubernatorial appointees whose decisions are final.
Current salaries range from $212,179 for the governor to $159,134 for the secretary of state and $116,208 for members of the Assembly and Senate, who also receive more than $30,000 annually in per diem payments for living expenses.
(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...
Try 25% for starters and you will be getting close to what needs to be done. These jerkoffs have been lining their pockets on the backs of the taxpayers for years now, to the point they no longer dare whine that "the private sector is compensated way beyond what we get". That stopped being true well over 20 years ago. Pay and perks for these weasels is way out of line. Contrary to his many earlier promises, old "True Lies" hasn't done a damn thing to cut inflated state payrolls.
This is a voter “feel good” measure because there are not enough of them to make a difference. Let’s start with the legacy costs of the public employees unions and start working down current benefits for people paid out of proportion to what they would be garnering anywhere else in the United States.
Living in this state I can only say I agree withyou.
“True Lies” only if we knew before!!!
Quite a few of them deserve to be swinging from lamp posts...after a thick application of tar & feathers, of course.
That's ridiculous. Texas pays its legislators just $7,200 per year. California needs to cut its legislators's pay to $11,600 not by $11,600.
From May 24, 2005 and doesn’t include all the other perks that go along with the positions.
A state commission voted unanimously Monday to give the Legislature a 12 percent salary increase, boosting most lawmakers’ annual pay to $110,880. Leaders like Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez and Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata will make $127,512, according to the new salary structure, which goes into effect in December.
other perks
although they also get money to lease a car and $138 in per diem when the Legislature is in session. Lawmakers also get $400 a month in car allowance.
Many CA public employees make more in over-time than their base salary. And most have the very best in medical insurance and retirement benefits. The dummies sold out to the CA public employee unions a long time ago.
But it's not enough to give up their day jobs. Texas legislators actually have to make a living in the real world.
Why are we starting with the "elected" positions where the job interview is one of the toughest in the nation and the people always have the Recall election possiblilty?
Yes! I agree!! It will accomplish a lot more if we start with the over-paid, non-elected management positions and the Yoonyuns!!!
Bump!
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