LEGISLATIVE PAY RAISE
The legislature today approved a pay raise for its members for the first time in nearly thirty years.  I supported the raise, but only after it was amended down to $37,500, which I felt was reasonable given the demands and time involved in the job as well as impact that cost of living increases would have had if they had been applied to the 1980 figure of $16,800.  I was opposed to the original HB 672, which contained a raise to over $50,000, which I felt was excessive.

After HB 672 containing the $50,000 raise passed the Senate, I received over a hundred phone calls from constituents opposing the dramatic increase from our pay of $16,800.  I spoke with nearly all of my constituents who called and asked if the legislature deserved a pay raise after thirty years.  Most did, but not to $50,000 and neither did I.  In talking with constituents, many felt a figure in the $30,000 range would be more appropriate and so did I given the increased complexity and time demands of the job. In addition, cost of living adjustments to the $16,800 figure from 1980 would have resulted in a salary actually in the $45,000 range which was also close to a figure recommended by an independent commission.  Also many of my constituents did not like the provision in HB 672 linking the salary with Congressional pay.  That provision was removed in the amended version favor of a cost of living increase.  I know that the increase more than doubles our present salary, but again we had not had any increase in nearly 30 years. Since 1980, the salary for statewide elected officials and judges has more than doubled, ranging from a 248% increase to a 306% increase. 

In addition, during my tenure in the legislature, we have given raises to all public employees, including teachers, support workers and many other government officials including sheriffs, clerks of court tax assessors.  I would suspect that their salaries are also significantly higher than they were in 1980.  It is important to note that the legislature, unlike nearly all other state or local officials, is not provided retirement pay or health care at retirement.  Legislators must also pay for their own health care. 

In addition, the office is no longer really a “part time” position with the legislature meeting in no less than ten sessions during my four and one half years in office.  In some states, the legislature meets once every two years.  In addition, there are also time demands when the legislature is out of session, including interim meetings and constituent activities. 

I sincerely feel that to attract quality people to a position, that they need to be fairly compensated. Otherwise, there will not be capable people interested in serving who are not otherwise wealthy or trying to profiting from the system. The legislature has been in session for much of 2008 and I think accomplished a great deal, including a $370 million tax decrease and significant ethics and fiscal reform.  The ethics reform has closed a lot of loopholes of people profiting from business dealings with the state and required scrupulous financial reporting.

I know that there will be many who don’t agree with the vote and would not agree with any increase in pay.  I feel in my heart that this increase was the right decision under the circumstances, although it is probably not the most popular.  I would be happy to discuss my vote with anyone who is interested.  My cell phone is (985) 373-3939 .

Tim Burns

I think we should all call since he was nice enough to give us his telephone and personally ask why he should get a raise in two weeks and we have to wait possibly 2 years to get our own tax money back. And if they can afford to give themselves such a great raise why is it so difficult to give the taxpayers of this state a small tax break sooner than 2 years? This is going to be an interesting conversation.

As a side note it is interesting to see how they keep bringing up the fact that the legislature has not received a pay increase since 1980 and yet at the same time the state has not shown any improvement since then either. Some may say that the reason the state has not improved is because they have not gotten a raise, I say until they make some improvements they shouldn’t get a raise. Pay in the real world is based on performance, not on need. Example how people can walk into a job and demand a certain amount based on their need and not on their performance?

$20,000 should be their current pay. I would be ok if they raised it to that amount. I agree about the performance as well. If they can accomplish getting Louisiana higher in the good rankings then they might be able to get another raise. I wonder if they can handle such a basic concept as performance based raises. We seriously voted for a whole slew of idiots if they can’t grasp this.

why does it matter when the Legislature got the last pay raise?  It’s not like any of them got elected in 1980 and didn’t have to stand for re-election just a few short months ago. 

The current salary (before the raise) is exactly the same as it was in October, 2007, when each of the buffoons ran for the job.  That the salary hasn’t increased in the 8 months that they have been on the job isn’t exactly an outrage, is it?  Most of us don’t get a raise every few months, do we?

Cajun Controller - 14 June 2008 07:59 PM

I think we should all call since he was nice enough to give us his telephone and personally ask why he should get a raise in two weeks and we have to wait possibly 2 years to get our own tax money back. And if they can afford to give themselves such a great raise why is it so difficult to give the taxpayers of this state a small tax break sooner than 2 years? This is going to be an interesting conversation.

Please ask him when he will be leaving his other job.  I mean, since the Legislature isn’t a part-time job anymore, shouldn’t he give up his “moonlighting” job in order to devote all his time and attention to his legislative duties?

they passed the “gold standard” ethics bill. that shot us up to the top of that list. they deserve this.

BuyUpolitics - 15 June 2008 10:19 AM

they passed the “gold standard” ethics bill. that shot us up to the top of that list. they deserve this.

Yea they did but apparently they didn’t think it applied to them.

A Response To Your Legislator’s Reasons:

You are an educated man. A degree in economics, masters in accounting and a law degree all from Tulane University. You are a second term legislator. You knew the demands and pay when you sought re-election.

Did you inform your constituents one of your highest priorities for the first session would be to double your pay? Unlike the examples of public employees in your letter for whom you say you have increased their pay, your job is not fulltime. BTW: you did not give those raises. Taxpayers did.

95% of your constituents are hard-pressed trying to contribute to their retirement. Small business owners pay for their own health care, if they can afford it.

You can vote no to repetitive special sessions. You and the other legislators who are complaining about how hard their job is can tell the governor no more unnecessary special sessions. Tell him if he dismisses your concern you will vote against his legislative package. That is if he ever has one.

You point to the $370 million tax decrease as an example this session has accomplished a great deal. We know all that was done to derail that tax decrease. Public outcry passed it.

With the push of a button legislators tripled then doubled their pay. How nice. In my world increases, if they come at all, come only after improvements, progress and belt-tightening.

In your first regular session you increased your pay. Many of those who joined you in that vote have been in office less than six months. Six months and they are so overworked they want to triple or double their pay?

That after squabbling over the $370 million decrease for taxpayers, claiming the state cannot afford it though there is a billion dollar surplus. Had you given any of the promised reforms close to the same attention you gave the motorcycle helmet bill maybe people could be more understanding. 

In the final week of a lackluster first session, you raised your pay. Not to the southern average which you insist upon for educators but to the ninth highest in the country. Finally you have placed Louisiana in the top ten of something.

Our poor, suffering legislators and especially poor, suffering Tim Burns.

Anybody else want to help take up a food and clothing collection drive for our poor, suffering legislators?

undaunted - 16 June 2008 12:30 PM

A Response To Your Legislator’s Reasons:

You are an educated man. A degree in economics, masters in accounting and a law degree all from Tulane University. You are a second term legislator. You knew the demands and pay when you sought re-election.

Did you inform your constituents one of your highest priorities for the first session would be to double your pay? Unlike the examples of public employees in your letter for whom you say you have increased their pay, your job is not fulltime. BTW: you did not give those raises. Taxpayers did.

95% of your constituents are hard-pressed trying to contribute to their retirement. Small business owners pay for their own health care, if they can afford it.

You can vote no to repetitive special sessions. You and the other legislators who are complaining about how hard their job is can tell the governor no more unnecessary special sessions. Tell him if he dismisses your concern you will vote against his legislative package. That is if he ever has one.

You point to the $370 million tax decrease as an example this session has accomplished a great deal. We know all that was done to derail that tax decrease. Public outcry passed it.

With the push of a button legislators tripled then doubled their pay. How nice. In my world increases, if they come at all, come only after improvements, progress and belt-tightening.

In your first regular session you increased your pay. Many of those who joined you in that vote have been in office less than six months. Six months and they are so overworked they want to triple or double their pay?

That after squabbling over the $370 million decrease for taxpayers, claiming the state cannot afford it though there is a billion dollar surplus. Had you given any of the promised reforms close to the same attention you gave the motorcycle helmet bill maybe people could be more understanding. 

In the final week of a lackluster first session, you raised your pay. Not to the southern average which you insist upon for educators but to the ninth highest in the country. Finally you have placed Louisiana in the top ten of something.

Undaunted, this is excellent.  May I use parts of it when I write to my own legislator who voted for the raise?

Creole Catholic - 16 June 2008 02:28 PM

undaunted - 16 June 2008 12:30 PM

A Response To Your Legislator’s Reasons:

You are an educated man. A degree in economics, masters in accounting and a law degree all from Tulane University. You are a second term legislator. You knew the demands and pay when you sought re-election.

Did you inform your constituents one of your highest priorities for the first session would be to double your pay? Unlike the examples of public employees in your letter for whom you say you have increased their pay, your job is not fulltime. BTW: you did not give those raises. Taxpayers did.

95% of your constituents are hard-pressed trying to contribute to their retirement. Small business owners pay for their own health care, if they can afford it.

You can vote no to repetitive special sessions. You and the other legislators who are complaining about how hard their job is can tell the governor no more unnecessary special sessions. Tell him if he dismisses your concern you will vote against his legislative package. That is if he ever has one.

You point to the $370 million tax decrease as an example this session has accomplished a great deal. We know all that was done to derail that tax decrease. Public outcry passed it.

With the push of a button legislators tripled then doubled their pay. How nice. In my world increases, if they come at all, come only after improvements, progress and belt-tightening.

In your first regular session you increased your pay. Many of those who joined you in that vote have been in office less than six months. Six months and they are so overworked they want to triple or double their pay?

That after squabbling over the $370 million decrease for taxpayers, claiming the state cannot afford it though there is a billion dollar surplus. Had you given any of the promised reforms close to the same attention you gave the motorcycle helmet bill maybe people could be more understanding. 

In the final week of a lackluster first session, you raised your pay. Not to the southern average which you insist upon for educators but to the ninth highest in the country. Finally you have placed Louisiana in the top ten of something.

Undaunted, this is excellent.  May I use parts of it when I write to my own legislator who voted for the raise?

Thank you. Yes you can. I predict even more surprises coming from the payraise boys.