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Reality Check: New Way To Set Lawmakers' Pay

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May 14, 2008 11:33 pm US/Central

Reality Check: New Way To Set Lawmakers' Pay

Reporting
Pat Kessler

Minnesota's part-time lawmakers don't make a lot of money, and their salaries haven't gone up in nine years. However, they also don't want to vote to give themselves a pay raise.

"We are so focused on re-election we don't do the right thing and in making sure that all citizens can participate here," said one lawmaker debating in the House.

IN FACT...

The legislature officially meets for about 3 to 5 months each year. And lawmakers get paid about $31,140 for it, but some say that's not enough money, especially for a young family.

IT'S TRUE...

That's why many lawmakers support a constitutional amendment you'd have to vote on this fall. The amendment would create a 16-member council to set legislative pay every other year, so lawmakers won't have to do it themselves.

But that's NOT THE WHOLE STORY.

The council would also set a daily expense payment on top of their salaries, which his called per diem.

Right now lawmakers get a daily allowance between $76 and $96 a day for seven days a week during the session. They don't have to provide receipts and no questions are asked.

But there are plenty of critics of per diem. One lawmaker calls it "really nothing more than walking around money."

Here's what you NEED TO KNOW.

Per diem money already adds many thousands of dollars a year on top of lawmakers' regular salary. It quietly boosts incomes by as much as 70 percent. So how much money is enough?

Here's the REALITY compared to other states.

New Hampshire pays its lawmakers $100 for the year. California is the highest at  $113,000.

Minnesota's $31,000 a year is on the lower end of the pay scale.  But it's still above  the national average of $25,000.

That's Reality Check.

To check the resources for this Reality Check, click on the links below.
2007 Senate Per Diem Rankings
2007 House Per Diem Rankings
Salaries For Minnesota Legislators 
Constitutional Amendment For Setting Lawmaker Pay
2007 Legislative Compensation By State
Minnesota Census Data
Council Of State Governments: Study Of Legislators' Salaries

 

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