Feb 16, 2007 11:31 am US/Central
Senate To Vote On Per Diem Raise
St. Paul (AP) ―
In the six weeks since the daily expense allowance for Minnesota senators rose from $66 to $96, there's been grumbling about the decision. But only five senators have chosen to take less than the maximum check.
Next week, senators will have to put their money where their mouths are. In response to the complaints over the per diem boost, the Senate's leaders decided to tie the increase to a high-stakes vote: Vote no and forfeit the dough.
"That way, we have full transparency and honesty about who's for what," said Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller, DFL-Minneapolis, who sponsored the expense, or per diem, measure.
"If a member votes (yes) on this resolution, they're accountable. And if a member votes no and does not accept per diem, so be it," he said.
The measure has an escape clause. Lawmakers who oppose the resolution could still get paid as long as they write a letter asking for the payment, unlike the usual practice of automatically obtaining the money unless a lawmaker makes other arrangements.
The resolution emerged from a Senate committee after some testy exchanges Thursday.
Senators are paid $31,140 a year in salary, but they also are eligible for thousands of dollars a year in allowances for food, mileage and other costs of serving.
As of Friday, only a handful of senators were on record as seeking less than they are entitled in per diem. Among DFLers, Sen. John Marty of Roseville receives $60, Sen. Dick Cohen of St. Paul gets $85 and Sen. Don Betzold of Fridley forgoes the money on weekends and holidays. Among Republicans, Sen. Ray Vandeveer of Forest Lake takes $66 and Sen. Bill Ingebrigtsen of Alexandria receives $76.
Vandeveer has been the most vocal senator in railing against the per diem hike approved in January. By comparison, the House rules committee voted to increase its daily payments from $66 to $77.
"We are in effect voting ourselves money from the public purse," Vandeveer said.
He and other opponents call the increase a backdoor pay raise since lawmakers haven't boosted the regular pay since 1997. Salary increases aren't allowed to take effect until the next class of elected officials.
(© 2007 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
