"No problem, we've got the cash on hand".
Posted on 03/02/2011 10:23:14 AM PST by bigbob
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Under this resolution, a senator who is absent without leave from two or more session days is subject to a penalty equal to $100 for each day that the senator is absent without leave. In addition, the senator must reimburse the senate for the actual costs incurred to compel his or her attendance. The penalties and costs are imposed by adopting a privileged resolution that identifies the senator who has been absent without leave. A senator who is subject to the penalties and costs imposed by the resolution may only be heard on the matter on the session day on which the resolution is before the senate. If a senator who owes the penalties and costs has not paid the penalties and costs in full within 30 days after the resolution is adopted, the chief clerk will withhold from any payments due to the senator for per diem, travel expenses, or other matters, not including salary, the amount of any unpaid penalties and costs. The senate majority leader may also take certain measures to compel the attendance of any senator who is absent without leave. The resolution also allows the sergeant at arms to request the assistance of any law enforcement officer in this state to find and return any senator who is absent without leave.
(Excerpt) Read more at budget.wispolitics.com ...
Symbolic, but unanimous passage also shows the unity of the Republican state Senate members.
That's not enough.
It has to be large enough that some union's slush fund can't afford to fund it.
I'd prefer $10,000/day, but I'll settle for $1,000/day.
Wow, that’s gonna hurt. That’ll show em.
Union slush funds would not be able to legally reimburse them for this. It could be a way to send some of them to jail if they try.
I’ve been looking at this site for timely Wisconsin budget updates. Seems to have lots of posts.
http://budget.wispolitics.com/
WARNING— I’m Not sure of the partisan affiliation of this site so be skeptical.
They’ll probably be able to pay for it out of their campaign accounts.
"No problem, we've got the cash on hand".
Fine them $1,000/day and assign the money to deficit reduction.
By definition, a "slush fund" has questionable origins and/or questionable expenditures. But it's generally "off the books" anyway.
$100/day could be managed by collecting cash from supporters, a few bucks at a time. $1,000/day is a lot harder, and $10,000/day is effectively impossible to hide.
If you read the bill, the legislator doesn't even have to pay it. All he has to do is refuse, and it's deducted from per-diem or travel expense reimbursements. The resolution prohibits it from being deducted from salary.
$100/day is "walking around money" to these guys. It's not enough to "encourage" them to do anything.
Seriously?!
I would gladly pay $100 a day for a paid day off.
They should be re-districting, and passing voter ID. Unless there are strict measures to prevent the Unions from reimbursing, this is pointless.
It should start at $1000 per day and double every day they are AWOL.
How about making them forego their generous healthcare and retirement packages?
It will make them show up a lot quicker than $100.
(And if I didn’t do my job, I would lose it.....why can they play these nonsesnical games?)
...they’ll just take it from their Union contributions. :)
This is more symbolic than anything else. I think the GOPers know that some of the Dems are essentially being held against their will (talk about party discipline!) and in any case are probably receiving money from elsewere, so they probably don’t want to look as if they’re being harsh on the captive Dems and they know there’s no way they can compete with the union/Obama money that is probably being funneled into the Dems’ bank accounts even as we speak.
It’s a gesture, nothing more. But at least they made a gesture! Normally, the GOP doesn’t even do that much.
Yeah, but what if they get one of those bogus doctors notes?/sarc
It is $100 per DAY. That adds up. If they’re only gone for a few days, they probably wouldn’t write them up on it anyway. But if they’re gone for ten or more days, we’re into the thousands. And state legislators generally don’t earn that much money whilst in session. In fact, this may be a way to garnishee their wages without actually attaching their pay, which may be more complicated to do.
The fact that the fleebaggers have to personally reimburse the State of Wisconsin for all expenses, including all costs associated with deploying law enforcement personnel in this matter, will amount to considerably more than $100/day. It could be that this is more than symbolic.
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.