Anger is high here in PA over the pay raise this legislature voted for itself in the wee hours of the morning last July. It was repealed after the legislature figured out the voters were royally pissed. Still some of them paid the price at the polls during the primary.
The legislature in this state is overpaid, has incredibly cushy perks that do cost the taxpayers a ton of money, and is oversized. We have a bigger legislature than CA! It does need to be pared down and it does need more accountability.
Rendell needs to get behind this issue. It is long overdue in PA.
So while I think Swann lacks the experience to be governor I will hand it to his campaign people for picking an issue that will garner some votes for him.
Pennsylvania legislators, the second highest-paid in the nation, enjoy health benefits and other perks superior to what most of their constituents receive, according to national experts.
And while public attention has focused on lawmakers' pay in the weeks since their July 7 vote to fatten their paychecks by 16 percent to 34 percent(since repealed - note they do get COLA), fringe benefits will push total compensation for a rank-and-file legislator far beyond the $81,050 base salary to about $150,000 a year. Legislative leaders get much more.
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In addition to health coverage and pensions, lawmakers get offices in Harrisburg and staffs for their Capitol and district offices whose members' salaries are paid out of special accounts controlled by Republican and Democratic leaders.
House members get expense allowances totaling $39,800 a year to run their district offices and pay other expenses. They also get $4,000 to cover their constituent newsletters and other mailings. Senators receive expense accounts of $25,000 a year and postage allowances of $26,500 a year.
Legislators also get as much as $7,800 a year for vehicle expenses. Those who live more than 50 miles from the Capitol get $128 a day for meals and lodging.http://ap.lancasteronline.com/4/pa_xgr_legislative_perks