State Legislators Get Another Pay Hike; Wyland and Correa Turn It Down

When the state government is in the grip of an ongoing fiscal crisis that the state legislature has been unable to come to grips with, what is one to do?

Give them a pay raise!

According to the Sacramento Bee:

California's legislative salaries, already the nation's highest, will rise to $116,208 today for all but a handful of lawmakers who have declined the hike while the state fights a massive budget shortfall.

Thirteen legislators – four Senate and nine Assembly members – have asked the state controller to kill their $3,110-a-year raise.

And who are those 13 souls?:

Senator Abel Maldonado (R-Santa Maria)
SenatorJeff Denham (R-Atwater)
Senator Mark Wyland (R-Del Mar)
Sens. Lou Correa (D-La Habra)
Assemblyman Alan Nakanishi (R-Lodi)
Assemblyman Ted Gaines (R-Roseville)
Assemblyman Roger Niello (R-Fair Oaks)
Assemblyman Martin Garrick (R-Solana Beach)
Assemblyman Nicole Parra (D-Hanford)
Assemblyman Mike Eng (D-Monterey Park)
Assemblyman Ed Hernandez (D-West Covina)
Assemblyman Hector De La Torre (D-South Gate)
Assemblyman Anthony Portantino (D-La Cañada Flintridge)

That makes two members of the OC delegation refusing the pay hike. The others still have until December 17 to turn it down if they so choose.

The "independent" citizens commission that enacts these hikes really ought to be abolished. It's nothing more than a firewall to take the political heat for pay raises legislators want but are afraid to pass themselves. This way, they can throw up their hands and say "Hey! It's the citizens commission setting the pay. If it were up to me..."

We should once again leave it up to the Legislature to set their own pay. If they think they deserve a pay increase, let them pass it themselves and take the heat.

Comments

[Bladerunner]

Can Do Lou steps up again.......

Very admirable!

The current majority and Governor have put California in a pending fiscal crisis. It is refreshing to see members from both sides of the isle put fiscal conservatism first.

Elected officials – please consider the state’s fiscal state when crafting your budgets next year. Look into the powers of the state to capture taxes currently given to the cities if the Governor declares a fiscal emergency due to budget deficit or insolvency.

We have time to lessen the pending impact of our budget crisis. Please don’t wait until it is too late to prepare and conservatively adjust your cities budgets.

Richard Rios

[Hmmmm....]

Think we'll see this one pop up in the Walters v. Sidhu race?

[Faux fiscal conservative]

Truth be told Sacramento Reps are complete lip service when it comes to being fiscal conservatives.