Posted on 09/05/2010 5:18:43 AM PDT by IbJensen
Outrage over city officials' salaries in Bell, California has driven state legislators to make their earnings public information, which gained momentum until lawmakers were faced with an Assembly bill that would require their own incomes to be revealed.
A.B. 2064, introduced by Assemblywoman Alyson Huber (D-El Dorado Hills), would require lawmakers to make the salaries of highly-paid staff members, along with their own incomes, public information. It was announced in a press conference led by Senate Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg and Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez as part of a six-bill package pushed by state lawmakers in light of the Bell scandal. The aim is to create financial transparency and accountability.
While Senate officials have shown support for a measure that would only disclose municipal salaries, members have discouraged Huber's bill, saying it will not survive. But she believes fiscal transparency should be on a local and state level.
"We shouldn't be asking local government to do something we are not willing to do," Huber contends in The Los Angeles Times. "It's a lot easier to not follow a house rule or change a house rule. If it's in statute for local government, it should be in statute for everybody."
Despite disagreements over whose salary should be transparent, Democrats and Republicans agree that accountability is needed. Both parties are discussing the possibility of a "binding" rule to disclose Senate salaries.
Cameron Smyth (Santa Clarita)Assembly member Cameron Smyth (R-Santa Clarita) feels there is a need for disclosure in all aspects of the state.
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The Senate posted a payroll sheet on its website last week, detailing the monthly salary, title, and block grant for each individual employee.
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(Excerpt) Read more at onenewsnow.com ...
Gee, if Americans knew how much their rats in Congress waste on excessive staffs they might get angry.
I want to see not only salaries, but all compensation and reimbursements. In many states with “part time” legislatures, more is paid in per-diem and travel reimbursements than in salaries.
They understand the trouble that will follow once the true cost of government is in the sunlight.
Sunlight! Where public money is spent should be easily accessed through the internet (down to the last penny). Only then will the various subcategories of cockroach (government employees) possibly be restrained from their frightening feckless fiscal foolishness.
If taxes pay for anything, including salaries, it should be public information.
I had no idea this wasn’t public information already as it pertains to the legislature.
Also add the untaxed benefits, the car they ONLY USE for Work¿?, the defined benefits plan they do not pay for, health care they do not pay for...
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