Jun 19 2008
Debunking the Pay Raise Lies
Representative Jim Tucker and quite a few others are attempting to defend themselves by saying that they are only paid $16,800 per year. This is not true. They actually take home a great deal more than that. The Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana has the facts on what they actually get, and we’ve created this handy visual using their figures; click to see a larger graphic:
But their compensation doesn’t end with an average pay of over $35,000! They also get
- mileage - .485 cents per mile
- health insurance - 75 percent of the member’s portion of the premium and approximately 50 percent of the premium for the member’s dependents.
And to ensure that their part time legislative work does not cost them anything, the following is also provided for:
- housing - based on seniority legislators may stay in the Pentagon Barracks with rents ranging from $300 to $375 per month. (For the rest, a cursory Google search revealed that there are a variety of corporate apartments available to rent for short periods for well under $1000 per month; easily covered by the unvouchered expense of $6,000 per year.)
- office allowance - a first time setup allowance of $2,000, a $500 per month for rent and utilities, plus $500 each term for equipment and furnishings, plus up to $1500 a month more for district office telephone lines, office equipment and supplies, and other approved reimbursable expenses.
- computers - a desktop, a laptop, and high speed internet
- an assistant - up to $3,000 per month salary for an unclassified state employee assistant to cover things while they work at their regular jobs for the majority of the year.
So if we’re going to talk about how legislators are compensated, let’s have the facts, not the deception.
Please download this graphic, post it on your blogs, spread it around however you can.
While it is technically true that they get paid $16,800 per year, it is by far not the whole story. They are being deliberately dishonest in order to make this problem - angry voters - go away. It is time to hold them to account.
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I’m not against our state reps getting periodic increases in their base pay as do state civil service employees. The problem seems to be that state reps go for very long periods of time (several years) without modest or “reasonable” adjustments to their base pay then, to catch up, they want an increase of a magnitude that outrages the public. Wish the Governor and our state reps could go “back to the drawing board” on this issue and come up with a
more reasonable compromise. Voters in Louisiana are hurting financially from the high gas and food prices and their elected representatives in Baton Rouge may feel their wrath if they go forward with this “money grab”.
Sure, but the outrage is that their overall compensation is very generous for a part time job. What they are trying to do is make themselves a full time legislature without voter approval. The state constitution mandates that they are a part time legislature, and their unprofessionalism and lack of time management (Sazerac laws, watching baseball during session, etc.) is no excuse for doing an end run around the constitution and voter will.
In response to Craig, state civil services employees only get a merit increase annual for the first 10 years nothing after 10 years. There is no cost of living increase or any other increase after 10 years. Civil service employees receive an annual evaluation by their supervisor and if satisfactory receive a merit increase.
Our legislators’ ability to do their job can be evaluated in our state’s standing. In national standings we are 49th or 50th this is an unsatisfactory rating. They will rank 14th in pay nationally
Their pay raise should be voted on by the people and/or their ability to increase our standing nationally.
You left out their retirement package- isn’t it based on the average of their 3 highest years of income ?? A large bump in pay will also increase this amount as a reward for their years of “government service “
If they want a cost of living increase, and they claim to be on call 24 hours a day, but they are technically part-time workers, then let’s simply pay them minimum wage. Make them clock-in an clock-out with a detailed accounting of everything they do.
I bet that would go a long way to weeding out those elected who only get elected for the power, perks and privileges that all equate to backroom deals that net them money and favors.
Dave, very few of them are able to get retirement for their lege service now - only those who are already in LASER thanks to prior government employment. Although I would love to close that loophole as well, it’s at least an improvement from when they all got it.
CJ - sheesh, what about a keyboard alert for comments like that?
I’m still laughing. I would DEARLY love to have those leges whining about the full time nature of the job to have to fill out a time sheet.
The one argument we should blow out of the water is we want to attract the best and the brightest. Wouldn’t making the raise effective next election make since even for that false argument? To double the unvouchered expenses from $6,000 to $12,000 just proves what they think of us.
Jindal won’t veto the bill. the leges are not worried about being voted out because they will make double and triple the pay for this term. They also know that the campaign war chests will help most of them out spend most new candidates. It’s also frustating to know that a large group of us either are not interested or will forget over time.
We must not let them breath easy. Those who will not quit must keep the rest interested.
Louisiana’s goverment is about as crooked as the Mississippi river. Until we get that straight, we might as well get use to it.
Louisiana always has been, and always will be the laughing stock of the entire nation. Triple your pay…double your pay..we sound like we are on the Belle of Baton Rouge casino. I guess Taco Bell will now see a reduction in sales since our New Orleans representatives can now afford a better place to eat. Jindal is a big disappointment with all his campaign talk and when it comes time to act; he bows out. These people we voted to represent us have long lost contact with the working man and we need to remember them when the next vote comes around.
[...] is what they make, not $16k - http://www.legewatch.com/2008/06/debunking-the-pay-raise-lies/ - plus a nice benefits package including $700 - $1200 per month in health insurance benefits. They [...]
and the mileage just went up… see forgotston’s site for the details.
CB Forgotston
During his campaign, Gov. Jindal talked too darn fast to be believable (for me at least). I pity the people who could not see that this is what politicians do when they want to get elected….tell ‘em what they want to hear, and show let reality hit them after the election. Even then, his ETHICS REFORM was too good to be believable. Maybe he’ll take the VP position with Senator McClain.
Most of us would like to at least double our salaries. This would make affording gas much easier.
[...] Hot Air: Angry Louisianans warn Jindal not to approve legislature’s pay raise; Update: Now with angry e-mails!… [...]
Here’s my two cents and I love to guess an ending right in the middle so here goes:
Pay raise will get vetoed in the 11th hour, after everyone shows up in BR for the rally. Seeing all the support and continued recall news, the gov. has no choice but to veto. Those who stand in his way for future reform will obviously be called out for blockading because their raise was vetoed. Bobby comes out the hero and politics rises to a new level above troll (any Harry Potter fans?).
I’m going to be an optimist here. I’ve written everyone elected official and plan on being in BR on the 7th. Hopefully, a happy ending will be in sight.