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 ELECTED OFFICIALS OVERPAID?
I am passing this along to help you see what others are contemplating.
Dave
T A X P A Y E R U P D A T E
. . . from the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association (www.HJTA.org)
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QUOTE OF THE DAY:
With businesses cutting back, "it's time those in positions of
political power are held to the same standard. Any discussion about
downsizing or reducing pay or benefits is a dose of reality that is
long overdue." -- Jon Coupal, HJTA President
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The following news story appeared in
The Sacramento Bee on April 23, 2008:
California panel looks at cutting pay of elected officials
By Herbert A. Sample
Special To The Bee
LOS ANGELES -- With state finances in turmoil, the state
salary-setting commission on Tuesday took a step toward lowering the
pay of California legislators and statewide elected officials.
The California Citizens Compensation Commission informally agreed
that this was no time to raise the pay of members of the Assembly
and state Senate, the governor, lieutenant governor and several
other constitutional officers.
Two panel members, Chairman Charles Murray and Kathy Sands, said
they want the commission to consider reducing salaries, given the
precarious condition of the state budget and the drastic cuts to
state and local government services that are under consideration.
"We have a deficit of $7 billion" that news reports say will double
by this summer, Murray, of San Marino, said during the short
meeting. "Everybody has to take a cut."
Sands, a retired banker and former mayor of Auburn, said a vote to
reduce top government officials' salaries would send a message about
their performance.
"We don't have a budget and they're not working any overtime to get
it done," she said. "People have said that to me. They're not doing
their job."
The two members, both appointees of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger,
asked for a legal opinion on whether the commission can reduce
salaries, and if so, how it can be done.
K. William Curtis, chief counsel for the Department of Personnel
Administration, told them that there is no question salaries can be
decreased -- the state constitution says the commission shall
"adjust" salaries -- but that the mechanism to do so requires study.
He said the commission discussed salary reductions several years ago
but took no action. The commission is to meet in late May or early
June in Sacramento to consider the move.
State lawmakers earn $116,208 a year, although legislative leaders
make more, and all legislators are entitled to tax-free per diem
payments when in session. The governor's position carries a $212,179
annual salary, but Schwarzenegger does not accept it.
CHART:
State officials' current salaries
http://tinyurl.com/5k5ott
Two other commission members, appointed by former Gov. Gray Davis,
said they oppose salary reductions.
"I don't think at this point it's time to go into panic mode," said
Thomas Dominguez, an investigator for the Orange County Sheriff's
Department. "It would be more appropriate to maintain the status
quo. I think that sends the right message."
Cristina Vazquez, a top West Coast official for the labor union
UNITE HERE, said freezing pay was appropriate. But, she added, "At
this point, I'm not in agreement with any cuts."
Commissioners William Feyling and Larry Gottlieb did not voice an
opinion on salary cuts, and Commissioner Ruth Lopez Novodor did not
attend the meeting.
Reaction in the Capitol was muted. A spokesman for Schwarzenegger
said there would be no comment. Aides to state Senate President Pro
Tem Don Perata, D-Oakland, Senate GOP leader Dave Cogdill of Modesto
and Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner said they would abide by
the commission's decision. There was no public reaction from
Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez and other top Democratic and
Republican Assembly members.
Sen. Abel Maldonado, a Santa Maria Republican, said in a statement
that the Legislature should "set an example and put our paychecks
where our mouths are. The governor asked state agencies to look at
10 percent cuts across the board. Why were our salaries overlooked?"
Maldonado has proposed a constitutional amendment to bar the
compensation commission from increasing salaries in years when the
state is experiencing a budget deficit.
Any salary reduction ordered by the commission would not take effect
until December, after termed-out lawmakers such as Núñez and Perata
are out of office.
The panel, established by Proposition 112 in 1990, did not raise
legislative and constitutional officer salaries between 2001 and
2004. But it unanimously increased legislative pay levels by 12
percent in 2005. The next year, it approved an 18 percent and a 2
percent raise for constitutional officers and legislators,
respectively. And in 2007, the panel raised the pay of the attorney
general and state schools superintendent by 5 percent, and that of
other statewide elected officials and legislators by 2.75 percent.
Twenty-six lawmakers, including GOP Assemblymen Roger Niello of Fair
Oaks, Ted Gaines of Roseville and Alan Nakanishi of Lodi, declined
the last increase.
Commission Chairman Murray said he would not consider a salary
reduction to be a comment on the performance of state elected
officials. "That is done by all the citizens in the polling booth,"
he said.
But Sands said friends, some of whom are state employees, have told
her that legislators "ought to think about a cut like everybody
else."
She noted that counties, cities and school districts are
experiencing financial pain as well. "Maybe everyone should share
(in cuts.) I don't think it's real unreasonable."
Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association,
said he was pleasantly surprised by the commission's move Tuesday,
though he warned that it may be "just for show."
With businesses cutting back, "it's time those in positions of
political power are held to the same standard," he added. "Any
discussion about downsizing or reducing pay or benefits is a dose of
reality that is long overdue."
No other state has reduced the salaries of its elected officers in
recent years, said a spokesman for the National Conference of State
Legislatures.
One other state, Washington, has a commission with sole authority to
set salaries. Six others have panels whose decisions can be blocked
by legislatures, governors or voters, and another five states have
commissions that only make salary recommendations.
You can find this article online at:
http://www.sacbee.com/111/story/883035.html
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