Legislators Raise Pay, and a Governor Pays the Price (JindalWatch® Alert)

The New York Times ^ | June 24, 2008 | Adam Nossiter

[abb]

The reformist image of Gov. Bobby Jindal, considered by Republicans a top potential vice-presidential choice, has recently taken a beating after Mr. Jindal refused to veto a sizable pay increase that Louisiana legislators voted for themselves this month.

The increase would more than double the salary of the part-time legislators effective July 8, to $37,500 from $16,800, with considerably more money available once expenses are added in. It has touched a nerve in this impoverished state.

Conservative talk-radio show hosts and bloggers have denounced it, newspaper editorials have inveighed against it — The Times-Picayune of New Orleans called the increase “greedy” and its main proponent “shameless” — and the legislators themselves received floods of e-mail messages from angry constituents.

More confounding to many citizens here than the action by the lawmakers is the inaction of Governor Jindal, who came into office this year with promises to overhaul Louisiana’s reputation for dubious ethics.

During his election campaign, he vowed to prohibit legislative pay raises. Once elected, he quickly pushed through a package of measures increasing the Legislature’s transparency and stamping out conflicts of interest, basking in the subsequent glow of his image as a youthful Ivy League reformer doing battle in a shady subtropical outpost.

That image and his solid standing with the religious right helped propel Mr. Jindal, a 37-year-old former Rhodes scholar, into the front ranks of Senator John McCain’s possible running-mate choices. But now some conservative critics are saying the pay-increase episode demonstrates weakness as well as Mr. Jindal’s unreadiness for the prime time of the vice presidency.

snip

[abb]

Tuesday, June 24, 2008 JindalWatch®

[abb]

JindalWatch® ping

[abb]

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/20729884.html
Legislators show independent streak

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/20729584.html
Session includes ‘Stelly tax’, pay raise

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/20726314.html
WHAT PASSED, WHAT FAILED

http://www.2theadvocate.com/opinion/20724109.html
Letter: It’s time for people to unite and rise

http://www.2theadvocate.com/opinion/20724004.html
Letter: Only raise foes deserve re-election

http://www.2theadvocate.com/opinion/20723989.html
Letter: Jindal should stand up to lawmakers

http://www.2theadvocate.com/opinion/20723954.html
Letter: Of course legislators were laughing

[abb]

http://www.thetowntalk.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080624/NEWS01/806240329/1001/NEWS
As session ends, many see tax breaks as top item

http://www.thetowntalk.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080624/OPINION03/806240304/1014/OPINION
Your mail: Is Jindal as good as his word?

[abb]

http://www.theadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080624/NEWS01/806240325
Aides might get pay raises

http://www.theadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080624/OPINION03/806240303/1014/OPINION
Use boycott to express disapproval of pay hike

[abb]

http://www.americanpress.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2782&Itemid=105
Pay issue holds spotlight at session’s end

[ChiMark]

NY Times has ignored the reforms Bobby has put through a democrat legislature along with tax cuts.

Since when did the NYT care about government pay raises?

A hit piece.

[abb]

http://www.thenewsstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080624/NEWS01/806240305
Ethics laws adjusted in session

http://www.thenewsstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080624/NEWS01/806240308
State superintendent able to skip bid process

http://www.thenewsstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080624/OPINION03/806240330/-1/NEWSFRONT2
Send Jindal your message

[abb]

http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?/base/news-11/1214286033286180.xml&coll=1
Chaotic session comes to an end

http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/capital/index.ssf?/base/news-6/1214286624313290.xml&coll=1
Ethics bill is challenge to Jindal

http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/capital/index.ssf?/base/news-6/1214286616313290.xml&coll=1
Sazerac is official drink

http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/letterstoeditor/index.ssf?/base/news-11/1214284911231260.xml&coll=1
Keep the change

[PLMerite]

Maybe now Louisiana politicians won’t have to hide money in their freezers.

[nmh]

Bet ya the Demoncrats readily passed it!

[abb]

Louisiana Blogs and links

http://www.bayoubuzz.com/
http://www.louisianaconservative.com/
http://forgotston.com/
http://www.thedeadpelican.com/
http://www.legewatch.com/
http://centrallapolitics.blogspot.com/
http://www.thereductbox.com/
http://www.recallmichot.com/
http://www.recallpayraisetucker.com/Home_Page.html
http://www.moongriffon.com/
http://jeffsadow.blogspot.com/
http://www.lapolitics.com/
http://onlyinlouisiana.wordpress.com/
http://ringsidepolitics.com/
http://www.wwl.com/
http://redstick.wordpress.com/
http://biggs-bullets.blogspot.com/

[abb]

http://centrallapolitics.blogspot.com/
IT’S OVER: THE 2008 REGULAR SESSION COMES TO AN END

http://jeffsadow.blogspot.com/
Focus now on Jindal to see whether he makes gutsy call

[OKIEDOC]

Errr.....another hit piece from the New York Slimes?

[abb]

Errr.....another hit piece from the New York Slimes?

Actually, it's pretty accurate.

[abb]

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=27150
Louisiana Emperor Jindal Has No Clothes
by Jeff Crouere
Posted: 06/24/2008

[abb]

http://media.www.lsureveille.com/media/storage/paper868/news/2008/06/24/Opinion/Gov-Jindal.Should.Step.Up.And.Support.The.People-3384579.shtml
Gov. Jindal should step up and support the people

[OKIEDOC]

I'm not disagreeing with the story but the way the story was presented by the New York Slimes in such a bad light.

With that said I have done business with Louisiana folks and greasing the palms with KY Jelly will not cut the mustard.

Seems like $16,000 is low pay for someone a citizen counts on to make good laws.

Whats the alternative to low or no pay by a legislator.

Chris Dodd, Kent Conrad, Willy Jefferson and relatives....

[abb]

Seems like $16,000 is low pay for someone a citizen counts on to make good laws.

Perhaps. But the first run at this introduced into the legislature was to TRIPLE their pay. After the voters went radioactive, they cut it to only DOUBLE. And all this after giving every state deadhead a big pay raise and increasing the state budget by $1 billion. The citizenry manged a small tax cut after the legislature and Gov. Bobby Jindal had to be dragged kicking and screaming to the table.

Furthermore, Jindal had pledged in his campaign specifically to not allow a legislature to increase its own pay. This is all documented.

Bottom line: Jindal campaigned on and was elected as a true conservative. He's not governed anywhere near that since he was sworn in, despite what the talking heads in DC and New York say. Jindal needs to pay for stabbing us conservatives in the back.

[Colorado Cowgirl]

Members of the General Assembly receive an annual salary of $30,000, paid at the rate of $2,500 per month. The salary was set at its current figure in 1998. The Colorado constitution provides that no change in compensation may take place during a member’s term of office. Plus some per diem for travel and food. All you need is part-time Legislators in most States. I’m for Keeping them lean and mean.