PA. State Legislators Due Pay Raise Next Month

An Associated Press report by Peter Jackson featured in the Times Leader highlights the automatic pay raise scheduled for Pennsylvania solons next month.

HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania’s top state officials, including legislators and judges, can look forward to a cost-of-living pay raise of 1.7 percent, officials said Monday.

Newly elected and returning legislators will get the increases starting Dec. 1, when the new Legislature opens for business, even though they won’t be sworn in until January.

Rank-and-file legislators’ salaries will increase from $78,315 to $79,623, while salaries for the four legislative floor leaders will rise from $113,468 to $115,364, officials said.

The raises, authorized by a 1995 law, are based on changes in the federal government’s Consumer Price Index for the mid-Atlantic states.

At a time when people are running out of their unemployment benefits and others can't find a job here's the real problem with this pay raise.

During this election cycle a flyer was sent to voters outlining history of the legislative pay raise from 2003 to 2010. In 2003 the salary of Pennsylvania legislators was $59,364.55. Due to a law passed in 1995 the Pennsylvania legislature pegged its yearly scheduled raises to changes in the federal government’s Consumer Price Index for the mid-Atlantic states. As a result the salary for Pennsylvania legislators in 2010 was $78,314.64. However if one were to use the Bureau of Labor and Statistics inflation calculator the legislative salary for 2010 should be $70,563.48 based on the $59,364.55 salary in 2003 using the Consumer Price Index as a benchmark.

Legislators using the CPI for mid-Atlantic States received $7,751.16 or almost 10% more than if the overall CPI for the country was the multiplier. On top of that figure is another $163 dollars per day every day they are in Harrisburg as long as the legislator doesn't live within 50 miles of the Capitol. However those legislators living within 50 miles can still claim the per diem if they attend committee meetings elsewhere in the state.

As many seniors found out the rise in the overall Consumer Price Index is used to calculate their raises for Social Security.

The Pennsylvania legislature only repealed its excessive grab in 2005. The scheduled pay raise due to the CPI calcualtion has remained intact. Maybe its time for the legislature to join the ranks of the senior citizens and feel their pain.

It seems our Congress and our Legislature know how to take care of themselves and not the electorate.

What's Wrong With Our Schools

Voter backlash over the promise of property tax relief in Pennsylvania is genuine. A little known fact is at the bottom of it. Most of our property tax relief was given to school districts. A small portion is received to those who FILE for the Homestead Act reduction. If you don't file it's snooze you lose.

Its a struggle in this state between the taxpayers and the unions. The unions lobby heavily in the Legislature for their agenda. In this case they were able to get the Legislature to steer our money to school districts so that contract negotiations could include better pay and benefits. Mind you better pay is what we all aspire for but in this case it is not tied to performance.

Read this story that appears in today's Wall Street Journal titled "The Education Manifesto". Learn how two people, one a politician made the selfless choice to fix what was wrong with the Washington D.C. school system at their peril. It teaches all of us what is necessary to accomplish the goal of better education for our children, rewarding the good teachers and getting rid of the bad ones. The Legislature should abolish tenure in the school systems.

Legislative Staff Receives Pay Raise Just To Beat Freeze

If this story doesn't resonate in Northeastern Pennsylvania the voters shouldn't complain about the dismal state of the Union in Pennsylvania.

Patriot News reporter Jan Murphy is reporting that "In the two months before the state House Democratic caucus enacted a salary freeze starting Jan. 1, staffers saw a flurry of activity that raised eyebrows.

Those with access to payroll information saw a raise amounting to $18,642 annually for Paul Parsells, the chief of staff to House Speaker Keith McCall, D-Carbon. While he received a 14 percent bump boosting his salary to $150,000 a year, other staffers got a maximum 3 percent raise.

Staffers saw House Parliamentarian Reizdan Moore received a yearly raise amounting to $6,095. It struck them as odd because his anniversary date is in the spring. Typically, House employees are considered for raises on their hiring anniversaries. Others in McCall’s office received raises, too.

Staffers, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of job reprisal, suspected preferential treatment had been granted to staffers who work for legislative leaders.

They also grumbled about the timing of the memo about the pay freeze. The memo came out Dec. 31 with little to no warning to House Democratic legislators or staffers outside leadership circles.

Then, further rankling staffers, word spread about 12 employees who got raises despite the pay freeze, or salary control as caucus officials call it.

House Majority Leader Todd Eachus, D-Luzerne, said the dozen staffers should not have received the increases, calling the raises mistakes.

Eachus said the pay freeze was necessary to keep the caucus from running out of money. House leaders said no preferential treatment was given to leadership staff.


If that last statement is true why is it that only 12 leadership staff benefited from the raise? This action is not the first time leadership staffing costs have been raised.

John Micek over at the Allentown Morning Call >a brought his issue to light last year.

New House Majority Leader Todd Eachus, D-Luzerne, was swept into office late last year vowing to clean up the reputation of a caucus battered by scandal and to act as an aggressive steward of the public purse.

“In the end, we have to match our work to the policies that people are struggling with,” the Hazleton lawmaker told The Morning Call earlier this year. “People are losing their jobs … and we must forge policies that matter to real people.”

But in the last month, Eachus has made at least two high-priced hires — taking on a new chief-of-staff and a caucus counsel at salaries larger than those paid to their predecessors, according to data provided by his office.

Both are key positions within Eachus’ office, as is the new press secretary the northeastern Democrat announced Monday.

But at least one other legislative caucus in Harrisburg, the Senate Republicans, has pursued a policy of not paying new employees more than the people they succeed.

In February, Eachus announced that he’d hired Harrisburg lobbyist, and onetime Democratic employee, Laura Kuller as his new chief-of-staff.

Kuller will earn $161,000, or nearly $24,000 more than the salary paid in the last legislative session to Sandra F. Williams, who served as chief to then Majority Leader Bill DeWeese, D-Greene.

Eachus’ new counsel, former Rendell administration senior lawyer Nora Winkelman, is being paid $149,900, or $16,781 more than the $133,119 salary paid to DeWeese's top lawyer William Martin Sloane last year.

The Republican took a different approach.

But not everyone in the Capitol takes the same approach as the House Democrats.

For at least two years, Senate Republicans have only filled jobs out of necessity, and have brought on new hires at no more than 85 percent of the salaries of their predecessors.

“We continue to keep hires to an absolute minimum or not at all,” said Lt. Gov. Joe Scarnati, R-Jefferson, who also retains his title as the chamber's presiding officer. “As people retire, it will be an absolutely necessary replacement, not an automatic replacement.

It perplexes the mind that Democrats are not questioning their leaders or calling them out on unethical practices. This issue simply fails the smell test.

Paul Kanjorski On Congressional Pay Raises

Seniors- did you receive the cost of living increase that Paul Kanjorski is talking about in this video from January, 2009.



Now listen to what Congressman Vern Buchanan recently said at a town hall in Sarasota, Florida back in September, 2009 about stopping Congressional pay raises.

Todd Eachus- It's One Year Later, Same Question

One year ago today Eric Epstein penned the following article. It's worth posting because the last question still stands.

Todd Eachus: New boss, same magic tricks
By Eric Epstein
1/14/2009 - 11:24:24 AM



On Monday, the Pennsylvania Legislature's "new" majority leader, Todd Eachus, announced that the House of Representatives was under "new management." The same day, the "new" majority whip, Bill DeWeese, introduced HB 21 to promote table games at Pennsylvania casinos. The next day, Dan Surra, former majority caucus administrator, landed a "new" job during a hiring freeze.



Alakazamm! Whoosh! Everything is fine.



Wait a minute. I think we've seen this magic act before.



Who is the new magician?


Eachus voted to increase his salary 22 percent from $69,648 to $85,102, defended the pay grab and kept the money. Mr. New Management never paid back the unconstitutional pay raise.

Eachus is a protégée of indicted former Whip Mike Veon. In fact, it was Mr. New Management who retired Veon's campaign debt. "Mike's contribution as a leader to our collective effort meant a lot to us," said House Majority Policy Chairman Eachus of Luzerne County, who chairs the campaign committee. But the committee's other three leaders -- Reps. Joe Preston, Dan Frankel and Jennifer Mann -- apparently had no knowledge of the two payments.

Last year at this time, Eachus told the public there was no need for new management. "The pay-raise thing, I think, is finally behind us. I think we're on to other issues now."

Eachus' first move was to hire Chris Casey to conduct a management review. Casey will be paid from the same unaudited non-lapsing accounts that just paid Bill Chadwick to eliminate waste and inefficiencies.

Chadwick Associates was hired in March 2007 by DeWeese to advise the House Democratic caucus on legal and ethical issues. What did the taxpayers get for the $833,000 Chadwick's firm received?

OK, so now we move from paying for advice to paying for an audit from a partisan politician.

Who's going to audit Casey's expenses? Will the latest ethics guy have the authority to audit $200 million in slush funds?

However, the first order of business for Casey is to ask one question: "Mr. Eachus, when are you going to pay back the money my brother said you took illegally?"

Eric Epstein is a watchdog and advocate for consumers, good government and safe energy. For more about Epstein, click here.

Ed Mitchell Says Kanjorski Protected Social Security

When Corey O'Brien announced his candidacy for the Democratic nod in next year's primary for the 11th Congressional District spinmaster Ed Mitchell rode to the rescue with his usual rhetoric of misdirection. In the story featured in the Scranton Times BY BORYS KRAWCZENIUK Mitchell is quoted as saying Kanjorski "looks forward to a full and thorough debate of his record and the issues in the primary election."


"He believes that in today's tough economic times we need a congressman who has a record of fighting for veterans' benefits, protecting Social Security and Medicare for seniors and pushing for job creation and affordable health care for all working families," By the way Corey, these are free and on me.

Here's what Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson had to say about Social Security last year according to Jeanne Sahadi, CNNMoney.com senior writer.

Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, saying that Social Security is "financially unsustainable," called Tuesday for quick action to keep the system strong and released a report detailing the program's funding shortfalls.

The federal government will have to start paying back what it owes the Social Security trust fund in 2017 so the program can continue paying 100% of benefits. By 2041, if the system is left unchanged, Social Security will only be able to pay out 78% of benefits promised to future retirees.

You see Paul Kanjorski and Congress have been raiding the Social Security Trust fund for years mismanaging its assets in a way that has put the future of its ability to pay benefits as promised.



On the issue of Medicare Obama has declared that seniors will be denied a raise in Social Security benefits although Medicare Premiums will rise. Congress received its automatice pay raise in January to the tune of $4,700.00 bringing the total salary to $174,000.00.

Why doesn't Congress eliminate the automatice pay raise provision in law and refuse to take any raise until the economy turns around and jobless claims start to fall, not rise? Since they vote to increase Social Security benefits and Medicare premiums why doesn't the voter get to vote whether they get a raise or not? Representative Joe Sestak introduced a bill to delay Congressional pay raises in 2010. It went nowhere because it didn't have one co-sponsor.

Mitchell took exceptional issue with O'Briens hint about Cornerstone Technologies. While it may be true that Paul Kanjorski never got a dime the same can't be said about members of his family. Those members received pay that was funded with federal money.

Comments on Gorts blog referenced the length of time Kanjorski has been in office and his seniority. It's a fact that Chris Carney brought almost 3 times as much money to his district than Kanjorski brought to the 11th last year. As far as committees Kanjorski sits on they regulate the financial sector. We are in the worst recession since the Great Depression. How did his seniority help with that mess or did it create it?

How do you support a Congressman that believes money handed out for pet projects is free money?

Its Time For Pennsylvania To Tighten Its Belt

In a recent post a commenter has been taking me to task on different issues. I decided to make an article out of my responses concerning the "State of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania". The Democrats and Republicans are blaming each other for the budget impasse. However, neither is communicating the real problems with funding the budget and why their positions are so etched in stone.

The commenter admitted being a Democrat but so is my wife. I won't hold that against him. However he blames Republicans for not wanting to raise taxes. Here is my response with some interesting and truthful facts.

Don't blame the Republicans for a no go on natural gas tax revenue...Rendell was the one who conceded to that industry according to this article. http://www.citizensvoice.com/news/business/rendell_drops_proposed_natural_gas_tax_for_now "Gov. Ed Rendell is accommodating industry requests and backing away from a state severance tax on natural gas production, which would have added revenue to prop up a new state budget."


Typical democratic philosophy... tax, tax, tax,...I will consider that option as soon as the legislature "takes a hit" which is a famous (Todd)Eachus quote. Decrease the size of the legislature..decrease the size of the staff...according to the Bonusgate indictment the staff are only needed for political campaigns and legislative policy, not state work or state issues. The Pennsylvania legislature perpetuates itself and its bloated staff. Read the local opinion written yesterday on the subject.

Pennsylvanians pay enough tax...why do many corporations incorporate in Delaware and not Pennsylvania? Why is the gas tax in Delaware alot less? Why is our sales tax at 6%? Rendell already raised the income tax during his tenure and wants more. Why?? Tax natural gas companies, that will only be passed onto the consumer..who are mostly Democrats in this state...Tobacco companies..again a significant industry in PA but look at the tobacco tax where it is at now...

Look at Pennsylvania figures for Medicaid and the prison populations.

Prison population up 40% in 9 years... http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/state/s_639625.html

Here is a document that contains a graph on the rise of Medicaid recipients in this state(since 1998)...(to)almost 2 million out of 12 million residents

http://www.pamedicaid.pitt.edu/documents/MA%20Basics%20FS%2008.pdf

So tax tax tax to support those problems...

I think you are forgetting the age of the population in Pennsylvania...22% are 18 and under plus 15.3% are 65 and older...That's 37% of the population who can't afford to pay exhorbitant tax rates...

http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/42000.html

We are only one of 9 states with a full time legislature...Why???

http://www.phillynorml.org/forum/index.php?topic=675.0

The total size, 253 members, and cost, $312 million, of the Pennsylvania Legislature both ranked second among the states in recent studies.

In addition to salary, House lawmakers receive an average $11,349 toward health insurance, an average $5,351 for prescription drugs with a co-pay, dental and vision benefits and a number of per-diem payments. Pensions and life and disability insurance benefits also count as individual benefits.

Support costs for House lawmakers include a $20,000 office expense account, a $7,800 vehicle expense reimbursement and $4,000 postage account. House lawmakers can use a car from the state government's fleet of more than 16,000 or be reimbursed for driving their own cars.
Senators receive an average $13,791 toward health insurance and dental and vision benefits. Since 2007, senators pay 1 percent of their salary to participate in the health care plan. They receive per diems, pensions and life and long-term care insurance as well.

Support costs for senators, who have larger constituencies, include a $25,000 expense account and $26,500 postage account. They can use a state car or claim mileage, currently at 55 cents a mile.

House and Senate lawmakers can claim a $143 per diem to cover costs of lodging and meals. The per diem amount fluctuates annually based on federal guidelines. Estimates of total annual per-diem costs are in the $2 million range. House members can claim per diems for voting and nonvoting session days, attending committee meetings, the day after the last weekday of a session and for overnight stays.

Pennsylvania's per capita cost is far higher than that of legislatures in neighboring states, according to an analysis by the National Conference of State Legislatures. New York's legislative per capita cost is $11; New Jersey's $8.89; Maryland's $11.85 and Ohio's $2.75.

Pennsylvania ranked second in 2007 for taxpayer dollars spent on the legislative branch - $312 million. California narrowly made first place with a $321 million legislative budget, even though it has a population three times the size of Pennsylvania's. New York ranked third with a $213 million budget.

With 253 members, Pennsylvania's Legislature also is second-largest in the nation. Lawmakers are assisted by nearly 3,000 staffers. Pennsylvania ranks behind only New York in size of the legislative staff, according to a 2003 NCSL study, the most recent available.

Thirty-nine House employees were paid more than $100,000 last year, according to records. Thirty Senate employees were listed with salaries more than $100,000 as of Dec. 31.

Before you want tax increases look at this state like a business person would.. You can't raise prices and hope customers will be happy. You also must control your expenses. The legislature received a 50% pension increase in 2001, and that's both Republicans and Democrats...Who is footing the bill..of course the taxpayers...

In 2005 the PA legislature approved an illegal pay raise of 16 to 34%.

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=8309

Todd Eachus and 52 others have yet to pay that money back after it was repealed.


I forgot to post that the casinos are taxed at a 55% rate. Property tax relief for Pennsylvanians was part of that legislation but property owners have yet to see any of that money. Tax collections by the Commonwealth on that amount last month, based on the 55% rate, were $98,534,824, an average of $3.18 million per day.

Legislator X Received A 22 Percent Unconstitutional Pay Raise

Okay so you read that headline and said "What A Minute, that raise was repealed!". You are absolutely almost correct. Yes, the pay raise was repealed but for those legislators who did not pay it back means THEY GOT A PAY RAISE!

His salary for that year was not $69,648 but $85,102. However, as majority leader he announced that the House of Representatives was under "new management." Please bring the old one back.

Personally I believe his pay increase should have been effective as soon as he was but that's another story.

Todd Eachus- You Get PAID Before State Workers-Update

Paychecks for 77,000 state workers thanks to the "Bridge" budget signed by the Governor won't reach them until next week. But the House Democratic Caucus made it sound like they solely worked to make it happen.

In the meantime 3,000 legislative employees have been receiving their checks on a regular basis as usual.

From Jim Parsons Report for Team 4 In Pittsburgh:

Thousands of employees in the state Legislature are still getting full paychecks because the state Legislature has built up a $200 million slush fund -- but Team 4 investigative reporter Jim Parsons has learned there's no record kept of the hours those employees work.

Pennsylvania's Legislature costs taxpayers more than $300 million a year. Most of that money pays the salaries of 3,000 legislature employees. A Team 4 investigation found that those workers fill out no time sheets for their paychecks.

"You have to have a way of documenting who is working, how much time and how you're paying it," Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato said.

Recently, Team 4 submitted a public records request to the state House of Representatives. Chief clerk Roger Nick sent a letter saying the House "does not possess time and attendance records that track an employee's daily record of attendance." Team 4 got the same answer from the clerk of the Senate.

But the real kick in the pants is that the House Democrats had the House Comptroller pay them yesterday while the 77,000 workers have to wait until next week to be paidaccording to John Micek of the Allentown Call.

Moments After ...
... yesterday's vote on the Frankenbudget, House Democrats issued a triumphant press release proclaiming that they'd "[led]the charge to pay state workers," who've been going without pay or living on partial pay since July 1.

But before they cast that epochal vote, Democrats made sure their own members, who also have not been paid since June 1, got their paychecks as well. The House Comptroller's Office confirmed this morning that it cut checks for Democratic lawmakers on Tuesday. State workers will not be paid until next week at the earliest.

Brett Marcy, a spokesman for House Majority Leader Todd Eachus, D-Luzerne, confirmed the payments. We're still waiting for specific comment and will update as soon as possible.

From the Democratic Press Release: Political Rhetoric Plain and Simple

"House Democrats will continue to fight for a responsible, balanced budget that continues investments in services that matter to Pennsylvanians, while making strategic and responsible cuts to reflect the state's current economic situation," he added. "But we need the Senate Republicans to finally get serious about this budget and begin to compromise."

Todd, way to look out for yourself. Why doesn't your press release let the state workers know that you made sure you were taken care of first. You are a true money grabber. And when are you going to give back the repealed pay raise you weren't supposed to receive in 2005?

When are you going to get serious and be fiscally responsible to the taxpayers? Ohh that's right you were making sure Robert Powell & Co. would get $250 million of our borrowed money for the fantasy airport? Was the jet ride the day of the cargo airport announcement ever disclosed?

“Hazleton is one stop to virtually anywhere in the world with these jets,” Eachus said in a news release. “When we are offering a quality, cost-effective alternative to fueling and servicing of these aircraft, we’ll also become home to distribution centers, repair facilities for electronics and even manufacturing plants for new goods that companies can then ship affordably from Hazleton.” How did that work out for you, Todd?

From Gort42 on February, 2009

Todd has been a staunch supporter of this piece of corporate welfare even sending out a newsletter to people in other districts promising 100,000 jobs would be created if the airport was built. He also inserted a $16.5 million authorization for the cargo airport in a House bill listing projects under the Pennsylvania Gaming Economic Development and Tourism Fund. The slots money is supposed to be used for reducing school taxes but it has to be hard for any politician not to think of a way to spend this big pot of gold on something else.

Hold Onto Your Wallets In Pennsylvania

From RockTheCapital.org here is a list of PA House members who did not repay the illegal pay raise from 2005.

House Members Who Will Not Repay: 25
• Rep. David Argall (R-Schuylkill)
• Rep. Louise Bishop (D-Philadelphia)
• Rep. Mark Cohen (D-Philadelphia)
• Rep. Angel Cruz (D-Philadelphia)
• Rep. H. William DeWeese (Greene)
• Rep. Robert Donatucci (D-Philadelphia)
• Rep. Todd Eachus (D-Luzerene)
• Rep. Dwight Evans (D-Philadelphia)
• Rep. Rick Geist (R-Blair)
• Rep. Gary Haluska (D-Cambria)
• Rep. Harold James (D-Philadelphia)
• Rep. Babette Josephs (D-Philadelphia)
• Rep. Bill Keller (D-Philadelphia)
• Rep. George Kenney (R-Philadelphia)
• Rep. Keith McCall (D-Carbon)
• Rep. John Myers (D-Philadelphia)
• Rep. Frank Oliver (D-Philadelphia)
• Rep. John Perzel (R-Philadelphia)
• Rep. Chris Sainato (D-Lawrence )
• Rep. Mike Sturla (D-Lancaster)
• Rep. John Taylor (D-Philadelphia)
• Rep. W. Curtis Thomas (D-Philadelphia)
• Rep. Ronald Waters (D-Philadelphia)
• Rep. Jewell Williams (D-Philadelphia)
• Rep. Rosita Youngblood (D-Philadelphia)

Here is the new Democratic leadership come January 2009.

Rep. Todd A. Eachus, of Luzerne County, will succeed Rep. Bill DeWeese as majority leader at swearing-in ceremonies in January.

DeWeese, 58, damaged but not charged in the ongoing Bonusgate corruption investigation, announced last week that he would not vie for the leadership post that he has held since 1995. Instead, he sought the title of whip.

Democrats also nominated Rep. Keith McCall of Carbon County as speaker -- the chamber's top post. The full House will vote on who will fill that job in January when the new session begins.

In other races, Rep. Dwight Evans, of Philadelphia, chairman of the powerful Appropriations Committee, retained his job unopposed, as did Rep. Mark Cohen, caucus chairman.

Here is what happened to the Republicans on that list.

For the second session in a row, Rep. John Perzel of Philadelphia, the former speaker, will remain out of the GOP leadership ranks. For weeks, he had lobbied fellow Republicans in a bid to replace Smith, but failed in the end.

Rep. Mario Civera of Delaware County was reelected ranking Republican of the Appropriations Committee, while Rep. Mike Turzai of Allegheny County was elected minority whip, replacing Rep. David Argall of Schuylkill County.

And this state gave more seats to the Democrats in this election. Are they nuts or what? Remember these are the same guys who also tried to raise their pay 22%.

The last time that happened on a federal level was 1989. Actually it was a 29.5% raise from $96,600.00 to $125,100.00 for the House of Representatives. You will never guess who voted for that raise. Oh yeaaahhh. None other than Paul Kanjorski.

The name of HR 3660 that passed and authorized the raise was "The Government Ethics Reform Act of 1989". Doesn't it just make you wee your extremities.

Why Did We Eventually Play Ball on the PA Pay Raise Issue?

In these troubling economic times here is some great news from Harrisburg.

"Pennsylvania lawmakers have a scary budgetary hole to deal with in 2009.

On Wednesday, they learned exactly how much more they'll be paid trying to plug it.

House and Senate members will receive a 2.8 percent raise, setting lawmakers' base pay at $78,315.

The 30 legislative leaders will receive more. Their pay will range from $89,300 for caucus administrators, secretaries and policy-committee chairmen, to $122,254 for the speaker of the House and Senate president pro tempore.

The legislative raises will kick in Dec. 1. They will be based on the annual change in the federal Consumer Price Index for the Mid-Atlantic region for the 12-month period ending in October.

The same 2.8 percent increase is due judges statewide, though their raises won't take effect until Jan. 1.

The judiciary's pay will run from $191,876 for Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronald Castille to $161,850 for county judges and $80,927 for local magisterial district justices.

The cost-of-living adjustment also applies to Gov. Ed Rendell and his Cabinet secretaries, effective Jan. 1. Their new salaries were not available yesterday, but based on 2008 pay levels, the governor's salary would jump to $174,956.

Rendell said Wednesday he might consider suspending the executive-branch raises in keeping with his frugality plan. The plan was brought on by slumping state revenues that might finish the current fiscal year between $1 billion and $2 billion below projections.

Rendell did forego his automatic pay raise in 2004, shortly after he negotiated a pay freeze for all state workers under his jurisdiction. At that time, he also "recommended" that his Cabinet secretaries and senior staff members pass on their raises, and they did."

It's pretty amazing that the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court makes more than the Governor of Pennsylvania. A Democratically controlled House is going to be the downfall of this state. The important question to ask of the Majority Leader and the Speaker is why they kept the pay raise even after it was repealed.

As I stated before, according to the 2004 census California had 35 million residents and Pennsylvania had 12 million. California has 120 total legislators. Pennsylvania has 256 legislators. Losing 171 legislators (1/3 of 256) would save the state a minimum of $13 million per year. That figure would greatly increase when you consider the staff, support personell, and benefits that would not be needed in such a streamlining effort. It's okay to laugh at the suggestion. But there are many people losing their jobs right now due to an economic downturn. Why should our government be spared from shrinking when its tax base is evaporating before its very eyes?

The only hope I see in this entire mess is that Tom Corbett continues in his quest to remove public officials who take advantage of public trust. Did we really become that complacent in our state to accept the pay raise issue as business as usual?