Now the pols want to be treated like CEOs
That is, poor performing ones. Much has been written about corporations whose results (and stocks) have tanked, yet their CEOs keep getting pay and incentive raises. Now, we have yet another Republican acting just like his corporate bretheren:
Lawmaker makes appeal for raises
Proposal ups legislators’ pay to $100 per week
DERRY (AP) – A Salem lawmaker is behind a proposal to raise the pay for New Hampshire legislators, currently the lowest-paid in the country.
Republican Rep. Anthony DiFruscia is the prime sponsor of a proposed constitutional amendment that would raise state legislators pay from $100 a year plus mileage to $100 a week plus mileage. Constitutional amendments must win three-fifths support in the House and Senate to go before voters. Two-thirds of voters must approve for an amendment to take effect.
Right! Doug posts up Charlie Arlinghaus's article on our impending revenue shortfall (my take on it at the end of this post). So tell me, with NH "losing" $75 million for the budget, WHY should our "managers" get raises?
I thought the mantra was supposed to be "pay for performance" - this certainly shows that negative performance is not an obstacle!
DiFruscia said he thinks more money would make it easier for working people to serve in the Legislature.
I rather doubt that $100 / week is going to be the ticket to have more working people run for the Legislature. At $5,200/year/Representative and the high cost of living in our state, that amount won't keep a family going for long. That, times 424 Reps in the house is an additional $2.2 million per year to the deficit.
I'd love to serve, but being a working stiff, I have no way to be able to do so. I am the breadwinner of my family - unless we wish to go homeless, seeing the inside of the House is not going to happen on a day to day basis.
Unless of course, that family wants to go on Public Assistance of any / all kinds. Letting the general public pay your way as you make their laws? yourself on the public dime - no. And THAT brings up a huge philosophical problem for me..... why should people on the public dole be able to influence and vote on bills that could have an impact on my taxes that may well benefit them in one way or another? I have a real fundamental problem with this scenario....
Opponents say low pay for lawmakers reinforces New Hampshire’s traditional emphasis on volunteer service.
“Instead of some fat cat thinking, you know, ‘OK, this is a career,’ it’s not a career (in New Hampshire),” said Rep. Gene Charron, R-Chester. “It’s got to be a love for your state.”
The model of citizen-politician is still alive here in NH; go, serve, and return to your regular life. I believe that politics should not be a profession - go, be an employee or employer, or homemaker, do what you think is right, and then step aside. Yes, it does limit who can serve - or does it?
NCSL staffer Tim Story said a study his organization did three years ago found that New Hampshire’s lawmakers are the oldest in the country. More than 60 percent of House members are over 60, while only 15.8 percent of New Hampshire’s overall population is that old, according to information from the House clerk’s office and the U.S. Census. Forty-seven percent of House members are retirees, 3 percent are homemakers and 1.5 percent are students, the clerk’s office said; that means less than half of House members have full- or part-time jobs.
House Clerk Karen Wadsworth said lawyers, teachers and school administrators make up a substantial portion of the legislative body, but many others own small businesses. One lawmaker is a waiter.
Huh? Teachers and School Administrators serving in the Legislature? What saith the NEA about this? Heck, what about taxpayers (this IS news to me!)?
Last I knew, Teachers (as opposed to Professors at the college level) work during the day - and pretty much during the time that the Legislature was in session. So how do they get to "not teach"? How do I get such a job? Ditto for the school admins!
I haven't been able to find the actual dates of each annual session (beginning and end) but I just looked at the calendar for the House - while there are journals and calendars for the summer months, there's plenty of time during the school year where one would think that they should be doing their job (and at tax payer expense) and doing Legislative business. Ditto for the roll calls.
Or is this a way to get paid for being an NH Representatitive?
Comments
Posted by: doug | December 31, 2007 5:20 AM