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No Reform, No Raise Redux

by: phillip anderson

Fri Jan 25, 2008 at 09:29:13 AM EST

It really is this simple in my book.

Up to you, Mr. Spitzer

Pay raises for New York's 212 legislators have to come with this essential condition. The legislators have to do their part to reform state government. That means giving up the power to draw their own districts and imposing much tougher campaign finance laws. Until the Legislature agrees to such reforms, it's an institution that defies the very spirit of democracy and remains committed to the re-election of its own members above all else. It's because legislators control the redistricting process, and benefit from notoriously weak campaign finance laws, that it takes either unspeakable scandal and or criminal indictment to vote an incumbent out of office -- if even then.

No Reform? No Raise!

phillip anderson :: No Reform, No Raise Redux

Tags: No Reform No Raise, Campaign Finance Reform, redistricting, Legislative Pay Raises, (All Tags)

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No Reform, No Raise Redux | 1 comments

I don't agree with this premise... (0.00 / 0)

Pay raises for New York's 212 legislators have to come with this essential condition. The legislators have to do their part to reform state government.

See, in the private sector, you get a raise when you perform well. If you don't perform well, you can get demoted or even fired.

I'm not willing to pay now and wait and see how they do. What incentive would they have? They get their raise, which apparently is the only real goal they have right now, and then they're done.

If they want any kind of pay raise, especially one of this magnitude, they should be proving to their constituents that they have been working hard for 12 months out of the year. In fact, I would recommend that if they do want such a raise, they must become full-time legislators. Because they would be on the cusp of $100,000 (and over $100,000 after stipends for committee assignments and leadership positions). I don't see why they couldn't live off of it, so let's make them full-time!

I think it's a fair trade off. If you want a raise, the State Legislature is in session all year. If they don't agree to that, adios!

by: robert.harding @ Fri Jan 25, 2008 at 16:03:56 PM UTC