Monday, March 9, 2009

FULL LISTING 2008 HOUSE AND SENATE SALARIES

As a follow up to my post on salaries of employees of the Pennsylvania Legislature that earn more than their bosses I compiled some figures from these tables.

The total for House employees listed is $4,989,300.35. The total for the Senate employees is $4,119,465.00. Source: Chief Clerk's Office, Pennsylvania House of Representatives and Pennsylvania State Senate.

Almost $10 million a year and we still have Bonusgate. Almost $10 million per year and Todd Eachus needed to hire outside counsel.

As far as Bonusgate and its costs go here's what the Morning Call had to say on the subject.

Recapping then, strike one was the secret and corrupt system by which state employees used taxpayer resources to help their bosses be re-elected. Strike two was the diversion of state funds to pay them extra for work they shouldn't have been doing in the first place. And the worst part of strike three is now that Bonusgate has come to light, taxpayers are being stuck with both the costs of prosecution (by the attorney general's office and two grand juries) and defense -- the $5.8 million for lawyers and other costs just disclosed. (By the way, it took a Right to Know complaint by the Associated Press to make that public. If it were up to the legislative leaders, it still would be a secret.)

To me it would appear $5 million seems to be a ball park throw around figure when you want to waste taxpayer's money.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Just found out that in the PA house bill 2291 which was approved by the House, there is an appropriation for Valhalla Brandywine for $20 Million. Yes, it is $20,000,000! The state is funding a private developer who is building a "playground for the rich" with your tax dollars. The jobs that will be generated are maids and groundkeepers. The local government has publicly stated they don't want the money, but yet our legislators still vote for it. What do you think about our state giving $20million of our taxes to build a playground for the rich? If you don't want your tax dollars used this way contact your state legislators!