In late November, state legislators approved a provision to increase the pay for themselves and constitutional officers beginning in 2009, when many of the current lawmakers still will be in office.
Two weeks ago, the Senate Committee on Organization - responsible for the administration of the state Senate - approved a plan requiring taxpayers to provide additional reimbursement to senators for automobile fuel usage.
While the reasoning for both moves may be sound, the timing is poor. As many Wisconsin residents and communities struggle financially as part of a nationwide recession, state lawmakers shouldn't be taking more taxpayer dollars.
In 2009, members of the state Legislature will receive a 6.3 percent pay increase to $50,438 a year. In addition, constitutional offices like the governor, attorney general, state treasurer and secretary of state, will receive a 7.4 percent pay increase. The salary of the state superintendent of public instruction will jump by 11.7 percent.
State law prohibits lawmakers from voting for pay increases during their terms, but many of the lawmakers who voted last year will be in office in 2009, and they probably will vote for a pay increase for 2011. Many are, in reality, voting themselves a pay raise.
It's concerning that legislators would increase their own pay when they didn't complete their most important job - passing a state budget - on time, but regular pay raises are nothing new for legislators.
The proposal passed by the Senate Committee on Organization last week will allow senators to claim in-district mileage - the reimbursement received for fuel as a result of senators' travels around their districts - as long as it is for travel directly related to the affairs of state government.
The reimbursement cannot be used for political campaign purposes, but this determination would be up to the discretion of each individual senator.
Again, it's understandable why senators would want to be reimbursed for miles driven while on the job. Most workers in the private sector are afforded that opportunity.
But this isn't the private sector, and the public is hurting financially.
The Federal Reserve on Monday made an "emergency" cut of a key interest rate by three-fourths of a percentage point. Meanwhile, President Bush is proposing a $145 billion economic stimulus package that includes tax cuts for individuals and businesses. All to try to revive an economy reeling from a fractured housing market, rising energy prices, a shaky stock market and an increasing credit crunch.
For senators to be taking extra pay - even if it is the relatively small amount that mileage reimbursement will bring - isn't the right call at this time.
To say nothing of the added confusion created by allowing lawmakers discretion in determining when expenses are incurred on the job or on the campaign trail. As we saw with per diems - reimbursements for costs incurred while in Madison on legislative business - the line between the two activities can be blurry, and some lawmakers were found to be double-dipping reimbursements.
Many politicians say they understand the plight of middle class families and what it is like to live paycheck to paycheck, but many of them are disconnected from the realities being faced by taxpayers, workers and business owners across the state.
Passing pay raises and new benefits for legislators and constitutional officers sends the wrong message.
Two weeks ago, the Senate Committee on Organization - responsible for the administration of the state Senate - approved a plan requiring taxpayers to provide additional reimbursement to senators for automobile fuel usage.
While the reasoning for both moves may be sound, the timing is poor. As many Wisconsin residents and communities struggle financially as part of a nationwide recession, state lawmakers shouldn't be taking more taxpayer dollars.
In 2009, members of the state Legislature will receive a 6.3 percent pay increase to $50,438 a year. In addition, constitutional offices like the governor, attorney general, state treasurer and secretary of state, will receive a 7.4 percent pay increase. The salary of the state superintendent of public instruction will jump by 11.7 percent.
State law prohibits lawmakers from voting for pay increases during their terms, but many of the lawmakers who voted last year will be in office in 2009, and they probably will vote for a pay increase for 2011. Many are, in reality, voting themselves a pay raise.
It's concerning that legislators would increase their own pay when they didn't complete their most important job - passing a state budget - on time, but regular pay raises are nothing new for legislators.
The proposal passed by the Senate Committee on Organization last week will allow senators to claim in-district mileage - the reimbursement received for fuel as a result of senators' travels around their districts - as long as it is for travel directly related to the affairs of state government.
The reimbursement cannot be used for political campaign purposes, but this determination would be up to the discretion of each individual senator.
Again, it's understandable why senators would want to be reimbursed for miles driven while on the job. Most workers in the private sector are afforded that opportunity.
But this isn't the private sector, and the public is hurting financially.
The Federal Reserve on Monday made an "emergency" cut of a key interest rate by three-fourths of a percentage point. Meanwhile, President Bush is proposing a $145 billion economic stimulus package that includes tax cuts for individuals and businesses. All to try to revive an economy reeling from a fractured housing market, rising energy prices, a shaky stock market and an increasing credit crunch.
For senators to be taking extra pay - even if it is the relatively small amount that mileage reimbursement will bring - isn't the right call at this time.
To say nothing of the added confusion created by allowing lawmakers discretion in determining when expenses are incurred on the job or on the campaign trail. As we saw with per diems - reimbursements for costs incurred while in Madison on legislative business - the line between the two activities can be blurry, and some lawmakers were found to be double-dipping reimbursements.
Many politicians say they understand the plight of middle class families and what it is like to live paycheck to paycheck, but many of them are disconnected from the realities being faced by taxpayers, workers and business owners across the state.
Passing pay raises and new benefits for legislators and constitutional officers sends the wrong message.
