Yesterday afternoon, House Speaker Glenn Richardson announced that all 180 members of the Georgia House of Representatives would take a pay cut for one day each month. In announcing the move, Richardson said, “I believe there is an obligation for us, as leaders of this state, to not only control spending, but to carry a part of the financial burden that we are asking of other state employees.”
Atlanta Journal-Constitution political insider Jim Galloway reported that a spokesperson for Lt. Governor Casey Cagle signaled the state Senate would follow suit.
Having an inquisitive mind means that I like to do what Neal Boortz calls “my homework” just to verify the claims made by our elected officials.
According to open.georgia.gov, most legislators made $17,341.68 in 2008. Glenn Richardson was paid $99,082.92. And Lt. Governor Casey Cagle –who also serves as President of the Georgia Senate– received $90,275.34 from the state treasury. Now let’s do a little math and see how much of a, in Speaker Richardson’s words, “financial burden” our representatives and senators are shouldering.
An annual salary of $17,341.68 divided by 365 days comes out to be $47.51 per day. So for one day each month, Georgia’s legislators will not get forty-seven dollars and fifty-one cents. Speaker Richardson will have to take a steeper pay cut of $271.46 per day which means the House Speaker now has a legitimate excuse to charge his clients a little more. Lt. Governor Cagle would see his salary reduced by 247.33 once every thirty days.
So, out of a budget totaling $35,416,931,884, our legislators are saving about $140,000 with their pay cut.
To sarcastically quote Samwise Gamgee from the motion picture, Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, “It’s such a burden.”
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Andre, add to that that a legislator can easily make up for the lost pay by coming to the Capitol for a “meeting” or to do “constituent work” and receive a per diem payment.
There’s a big picture here you’re not seeing. There are elected officials close to retirement who are forcing their employees to bear the full brunt of budget cuts while they draw full salary in order to maximize their retirements (which are based on the highest average salary during an eight quarter period of employment). You’ve got to set up the groundwork if you’re going to shame these people into doing the right thing. I have no idea if that’s part of what’s going on here, but I sure hope so.
My crude numbers in the other thread assumed a 365 day work year, which is not correct. Its more like 275 working days.
Oxendine made $118,641 with an additional $17,424 for travel.
He must make more for those extra hours he spends answering the phones until 7pm….
When did our state budget hit $35.5 billion? I wasn’t aware of the $14.34 billion jump over FY2009′s $21.16 billion.
The $14.34 B is the double top-secret part of the budget that is federal dollars injected in. The Legislature LOVES to play hide-and-seek with the truth about the budget.
Yeah I wondering WTF that happen to?
Did anyone calculate how much money could be saved by the State if the Legislature met only once every other year? Or at least if they would not meet in 2010. They could do less damage, too.
I was wondering how much money the state could save by not inspecting food processing plants of well-connected businessmen.
Oh, wait…
“most legislators made $17,341.68 in 2008″
Who would want this job?
Over three months of barely legal interns while out of town? Are you serious?
Some will even tie your shoes for you.
I have no clue what that means.
Four more years of staring back at the crowd?
Just something Nathan Deal said in his announcement speech.
Some will even tie your shoes for you.
Careful, Jason…we are recruiting you to run for a certain house seat…don’t want any of these stray comments to end-up on the lips of some idiot who doesn’t know what the eff she’s ever talking about.
Bill, I have no idea what you are talking about. What House seat?
…and I didn’t say it, Nathan Deal did.
Any banker, real estate agent, or developer who wants to be able to change the rules to their advantage and score the millions that comes from doing that. Just ask the Gov. about that.
Cutting regular legislators pay is just a plain bad idea. These folks make little to nothing from what amounts to a full time job if they do it well. Their constituents do not rest when the session ends, they are still expected to solve problems for them, show up to their events, be available to yell at and acquire state money pretty much 24-7-365. Some legislators certainly do not put in those hours, but just for those that do talk of cuts needs to end. I understand these are self-imposed, but obviously they stem from the demands of anti-taxers who think any government $ is a bad government $. That may be true, but in reality these few folks and their meager salaries have control of pretty much every government $. If we expect them to spend that money well and think hard about where to make cuts, we shouldn’t pay them like they work at McDonald’s and force them to either be wealthy (and highly subject to the pull of interests) or work another full-time job just to live. It is the definition of ridiculous to pay these folks what we do, given what we need and expect from them.
Unlike what has happened in DC, we do not need a ruling class here in Georgia. The job of being a legislator is supposed to be a part-time one. Hence the low salary and expectation that they only work 40 days a year. However, this one day without pay does not get me too excited about them saving money. If they were going to give up their per deim (IIRC $400/day) once a month, then I might be more interested.
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