Thread: CA. State lawmakers, others get pay cut today

State lawmakers, others get pay cut today

December 7, 2009 | 2:05 pm

State lawmakers and other top elected officials had their pay and some benefits slashed by 18% effective today, two weeks after the state attorney general rejected a challenge to the reductions from the Legislature.

The base salary for legislators drops from $116,208 to $95,291, while the governor’s salary, which Arnold Schwarzenegger does not accept, goes from $212,179 to $173,987.

The cut was approved in May by the California Citizens Compensation Commission. It also applies to California's controller, treasurer, attorney general and other statewide elected officials. The panel determined that the officials should share the pain of budget cuts that put most other state employees on three unpaid furlough days a month.

The salary reduction will show up for the first time in paychecks issued at the end of this month, according to Hallye Jordan, a spokeswoman for the controller, which processes the checks.

Also effective today: an 18% cut in the tax-free daily expense allowance, from $173 to $142, for members of the Legislature.

-- Patrick McGreevy in Sacramento

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2 ... today.html

If they want to impress the people, let them earn what a 7-11 clerk earns. With no perks, and any special treatment either.

A tax-free daily expense allowance? That should have been totally removed or made taxable (so the users will start watching their pennies.)

Originally Posted by Hylander_1314

If they want to impress the people, let them earn what a 7-11 clerk earns. With no perks, and any special treatment either.

....and no health care supplied by the employer either.

Originally Posted by vortex

A tax-free daily expense allowance? That should have been totally removed or made taxable (so the users will start watching their pennies.)

Why do they get an expense account at all? They make plenty of money to cover expenses. Does the average worker get an expense account? All workers have work expenses, but they have to pay for them out of their pay. Clothes for work, gasoline, bridge toll, lunch....comes out of the paycheck of the average worker. And the average worker makes far less. I dont think they should get an expense account at all.....let alone a tax free expense account.

Yep Redpony! Let them take the public option they all want us to take sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo badly!

Furthermore, they get more in their expense account than most people make on their paycheck. $173 A DAY? That is more than 20 bucks an hour....assuming they work an eight hour day. Why is the minimum wage 7 something an hour, BUT THEIR EXPENSE ACCOUNT IS 20 BUCKS AN HOUR? WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE?

Gee...if the dumbsh*ts up in Sacramental would have started cutting and stopping programs and other freebies for illegal aliens a while ago, maybe they would have been able to keep their perks and full wages! Oh well.....stupid is as stupid does....

Why do they get an expense account at all?

Because they live all over the state but must all be in Sacramento to conduct business. They can't give up their homes because they must live in the district to run for election from there.The employees of most companies who must travel away from home for their company business get an expense account.

Originally Posted by JBParrothead

Gee...if the dumbsh*ts up Sacramental would have started cutting and stopping programs and other freebies for illegal aliens a while ago, maybe they would have been able to keep their perks and full wages! Oh well.....stupid is as stupid does....

JB, you stole my thunder. I was going to say that!