Posted on 07/28/2007 2:51:04 AM PDT by goldstategop
California lawmakers personally will feel no pain from any multimillion-dollar cuts made to end this year's budget impasse: Nobody's targeting the $15 million increase for their offices.
Even when state coffers are bare and legislators are fighting over funding for public services from transit to prisons, the Legislature's own budget rises, year after year -- automatically.
The number of lawmakers -- 120 -- never changes, but their spending has jumped by 41 percent since 2000, a rate higher than the general fund's 32 percent increase since then. The state's average annual rate of inflation was 2.9 percent during the same period.
Assemblyman Roger Niello, R-Fair Oaks, said automatic increases to the legislative budget make lawmakers less accountable because they don't have to justify any increase.
"From the standpoint of good budgeting, it certainly doesn't make sense," Niello said.
But Sen. Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, countered that "there are many things that the public can criticize government for, but I don't think this is one of them."
Voters, not legislators, imposed the formula for computing the Legislature's budget each year, Steinberg said, adding that increases have been moderate and sorely needed.
"We are charged with addressing very significant issues that affect the quality of life for millions of people," he said. "I think it's appropriate that we have a Legislature that is professional and has the ability to hire people with expertise to help solve problems."
Taxpayers now spend nearly $3 million per lawmaker to run the two legislative houses each year, including district staff, committee consultants, legislative analysts and legislative attorneys, records show.
For California's 80 Assembly and 40 Senate members, this year's cumulative $15 million increase follows previous hikes of $14 million, $12 million and $8.8 million during a period when government was fighting massive deficits.
(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
As embarrassing it is for the salaries (and staff) ever increasing in Sacramento, it is nothing compared to the 200% increase in the budget for congress. That is nothing short of embarrassing.
And each law they pass increases their involvement in the quality of life of those millions of people which increases the budget they need to be a professional legislature and hire people with expertise to help solve problems. Who says there's no such thing as a perpetual motion machine?
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
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