Posted on 07/20/2005 5:14:38 AM PDT by Born Conservative
HARRISBURG | Pennsylvanians are venting their anger over state lawmakers voting themselves a big raise in a variety of forums, from letters to the editor to a talk-radio host's petition demanding a repeal of the raise.
And a new report provides more reason to squawk: At $462 million a year, Pennsylvania's Legislature costs more than any other.
But with the next legislative primary election 10 months away, sounding off is residents' only immediate option for making their frustrations known.
Unlike 24 other states, Pennsylvania does not allow voters to try to override lawmakers by petitioning for a statewide ballot question, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
''The only people who can change the game are the people currently playing the game,'' said Barry Kauffman, director of Pennsylvania Common Cause, whose executive committee plans to discuss the pay raise at a meeting Thursday.
The pay-raise bill gives Pennsylvania legislators $81,050 in base salary, second only to the salary of California state lawmakers, which increases to $110,880 in December.
But because Pennsylvania has 253 lawmakers, compared to 120 in California, our bottom line is most costly. Legislative salaries here soon will cost $20.5 million compared to $13.3 million in California, according to a report from the Pennsylvania Economy League.
(Excerpt) Read more at mcall.com ...
Ping
Vote them all out!!
Love the website. Wish they mentioned the part about getting a chance to buy into a casino as per Act 72.
You've also got to factor in the additional costs of the support drones for each legislooter, as well as pensions for the legislooters. Can someone explain to me why they get pensions at all?
Our local conservative, Bob Durgin, is really pushing this.
They web site is: WHP580.com
Bill in Hershey
Tribune7, can you provide a link from my previous post and then use your ping list?
A local radio station is getting signatures to protest this pay raise. You can either vote on-line or download the petition for signatures in your area. Our local conservative, Bob Durgin, is really pushing this.They web site is: WHP580.com
Bill in Hershey
I'd rather have an expensive but representative legislature, than an out of control group of undefeatable elitists like in California, New York, or Massachusetts.
We are lucky in Pennsylvania to have representatives who have small districts. And $80,000 is hardly a huge salary. Our terrible City Council in Philadelphia earns over $100,000 and does far less and is far less accountable.
The real problem in our state government is the massive welfare state, the drug war prison and judiciary system, and the waste pumped into the "Wondurfull Publik Skool Sistim". These blackholes suck up 50 times the cost of our legislature, force us into high taxes, and prevent us from spending money on things we really need and which benefit everyone - roads and parks and environmental cleanup and and the like.
OTOH, there is nothing keeping us from having a cheap but representative legislature like they have in Texas.
Then you get conflicted individuals who have to hold active outside jobs, usually lawyers.
You have that here now. Our legislature is awful. Think Act 72 and the cainso ownership ploy.
I don't care if they own part of a casino. I do care about Mike Stack's little shell game.
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