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Minn. Senators Stick To Their Per Diem Bump

St. Paul (AP) ― Minnesota senators voted Wednesday to stick with a $30 a day increase in expense allowances, handily dismissing concerns by some lawmakers that the pay bump was too generous.

By a 59-7 vote, the Senate ratified a $96 daily expense rate that members began collecting more than six weeks ago. In a first-of-its-kind twist, the naysayers will be required to file paperwork requesting an expense allowance instead of getting their money automatically.

Aside from the increase itself -- the rate had been $66 a day since 2001 -- Republicans complained loudly that a resolution approving the boost was demeaning to opponents.

Sen. Tom Neuville of Northfield said the decision to make dissenters clear extra hurdles struck him as "an implied punishment for having the audacity to disagree."

Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller, DFL-Minneapolis, said it comes down to transparency.

"That just says you can't vote no and take the dough," said Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller, DFL-Minneapolis.

Senators receive the maximum per diem seven days a week while the Legislature is in session, which is due to run 140 days in 2007. They don't have to produce receipts.

Only five are currently opting to take less. 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.

Seven Republicans voted against the move to $96, while 15 GOP lawmakers joined all 44 Democrats in supporting the higher amount.

One of the dissenters, Sen. Geoff Michel of Edina, questioned the steep increase.

"I don't know how we spend 96 dollars on meals. That's a pretty healthy diet," Michel said.

By comparison, the 134 House members are entitled to $77 a day for meals and incidental costs. There are also allowances for phone and computer hookups and outstate Minnesota lawmakers are eligible for housing payments.

In the recent past, lawmakers have turned to per diem increases instead of raising the general legislative salary of $31,140 a year.

The Minnesota Constitution says pay raises can't take effect until after the election when they are passed into law. But that provision traditionally has been applied to general salaries and not expense allowances.

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Senate Roll Call

Votes Wednesday as the Senate, on a 59-7 vote, ratified a measure setting a senator expense allowance at $96 a day. Voting yes were 44 Democrats and 15 Republicans. Voting no were 7 Republicans.

DEMOCRATS VOTING YES

Anderson (St. Paul); Bakk (Cook); Berglin (Minneapolis); Betzold (Fridley); Bonoff (Minnetonka); Carlson (Eagan); Chaudhary (Fridley); Clark (St. Cloud); Cohen (St. Paul); Dibble (Minneapolis); Doll (Burnsville); Erickson Ropes (Winona); Foley (Coon Rapids); Higgins (Minneapolis); Kubly (Granite Falls); Langseth (Glyndon); Larson (Bloomington); Latz (St. Louis Park); Lourey (Kerrick); Lynch (Rochester); Marty (Roseville); Metzen (South St. Paul); Moua (St. Paul); Murphy (Red Wing); Olseen (Harris); Olson, M. (Bemidji); Pappas (St. Paul); Pogemiller (Minneapolis); Prettner Solon (Duluth); Rest (New Hope); Rummel (White Bear Lake); Saltzman (Woodbury); Saxhaug (Grand Rapids); Scheid (Brooklyn Park); Sheran (Mankato); Sieben (Newport); Skoe (Clearbrook); Skogen (Hewitt); Sparks (Austin); Stumpf (Plummer); Tomassoni (Chisholm); Torres Ray (Minneapolis); Vickerman (Tracy); Wiger (North St. Paul)

REPUBLICANS VOTING YES

Fischbach (Paynesville); Frederickson (New Ulm); Gerlach (Apple Valley); Gimse (Willmar); Johnson (Ham Lake); Jungbauer (East Bethel); Koering (Fort Ripley); Limmer (Maple Grove); Neuville (Northfield); Olson, G. (Minnetrista); Ortman (Chanhassen); Robling (Jordan); Rosen (Fairmont); Senjem (Rochester); Wergin (Princeton)

REPUBLICANS VOTING NO

Day (Owatonna); Hann (Eden Prairie); Ingebrigtsen (Alexandria); Koch (Buffalo); Michel (Edina); Pariseau (Farmington); Vandeveer (Forest Lake)

REPUBLICANS NOT VOTING

Dille (Dassel)

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