Lawmakers Go Green
They have until the end of today to declare if they want to refuse the pay increase.
The proposed increase from $16,800 to $37,500 would give Louisiana’s lawmakers the highest base pay among Southern legislatures and the 14th highest in the country, according to data from the National Conference of State Legislatures.Â
Currently, legislators earn a base salary of $16,800 per year, plus $143 per day they’re in session. The bill would raise the base salary to 30 percent of what members of Congress earn, or about $50,000 per year, plus the per diem.
Gov. Bobby Jindal said he opposes the measure but would not veto it.
Thought you might be interested in how Northwest Louisiana lawmakers voted on the payraise for themselves. Â
For: Richard Burford of Stonewall; Roy Burrell of Shreveport; Thomas Carmody of Shreveport; Rick Gallot of Ruston; Barbara Norton of Shreveport; Patrick Williams of Shreveport.
Against: Henry Burns of Haughton; Jean Doerge of Minden; Jane Smith of Bossier City; and Wayne Waddell of Shreveport.
Absent: Jim Morris of Oil City
June 17th, 2008 at 3:55 pm
I think their pay should be based on state performance. Wherever the state ranks in several categories (school performance, pay for emergency workers, literacy, jobless rate, poverty rate, etc), that’s where our legislature should rank in pay.
June 17th, 2008 at 8:14 pm
….guess pain at the pump is gettin to our Lawmakers!
June 17th, 2008 at 11:58 pm
I am apalled!!! We the taxpayers continue to face and carry heavy burdens, higher gas prices, increased unemployment, an economy headed for recession.. yet our elected leaders, feel they are entitled to a HUGE pay increase..Heck, we haven’t fully recovered from Hurricane Katrina!!
Wouldn’t it be nice if we could all give ourselves such an increase? I could name lots of people who would take a Part Time Job making $50K a year, plus the additional perks.. In the real world, its normally 3-5% percent based on performance..
June 18th, 2008 at 9:31 am
Hey Sherry what about Robert Adley?
June 18th, 2008 at 9:34 am
Never mind, he voted for it. I warned people not to send him back to Baton Rouge he was part of the problem before and is no different now. He just gets as many earmarks for North Louisiana as he can and thinks that gets him a free pass to take advantage of us.
June 18th, 2008 at 9:49 am
Ken, I know some of the lawmakers who voted for the raise vowed to spend the money on issues relevant to their consituents instead of themselves. That’s a follow-up story.
June 18th, 2008 at 11:15 am
it’s official. i am running for office so i can work less and make more money! here’s my slogan: “vote for c. spillane…if you can”. not as catchy as “joe shyne, number nine”, but i think it’ll stay in voters minds. please help me, to help you.
June 18th, 2008 at 11:36 am
Colleen, can I be your campaign manager?
June 18th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
How about Colleen will keep your wallet lean. Everyone else we elect manages to do that, might as well be honest about it.
June 21st, 2008 at 4:05 pm
How about fixing some roads or something we all use before they pad the pocket
June 24th, 2008 at 8:20 pm
The latest on this issue: Today, after visiting Shreveport, Governor Jindal admitted at a news conference in Baton Rouge that he made a mistake by not blocking the pay raise. But he still won’t veto it.