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Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Watch your wallets, Arizona. Legislature wants 2 massive pay raises
Fresh off clinging to their immunity from speeding tickets, Arizona's legislators are now working on a plan to give themselves massive pay raises. The House Appropriations Committee on March 31 approved not one but two proposals to bulk up their wallets. First, by asking voters to approve a nearly 100% pay raise. Under this plan, voters next year would be asked to index legislative salaries to inflation and backdate those increases to the last time voters gave them a raise. Meaning, 1998. Instead of making $24,000 a year, legislative salary would jump to upwards of $48,000 a year, with automatic annual increases after that. Not bad for what's supposed to be a part-time job. Senate Concurrent Resolution 1003, sponsored by Sen. John Kavanagh, R-Scottsdale, sailed out of the committee on a 14-3 vote. Next stop, a full House vote, then it's on to the November 2026 ballot. But wait, there's more. Our leaders also passed a bill that would increase the daily expense pay doled out to Maricopa County legislators from $35 a day to about $200. As in $200 a day, seven days a week during the first 120 days of the legislative session, with reductions in per diem pay after that. I am not making this up. This one would go into effect later this year. No voter permission needed. Lawmakers have whined for years about their paltry salaries. Then they spend tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars to get elected. Meanwhile, voters have repeatedly rejected proposals to raise their pay — possibly because last time we gave the Legislature a raise, we tied that 60% pay boost to ending the per diem scam. This, on the theory that legislators ought to actually have expenses before they can be reimbursed for those expenses. The Legislature quickly figured out a way around voters, pocketing the pay raise and keeping their per diem, too. And never again have we given them a raise. Certainly, the case can be made for paying the reasonable expenses of legislators who live outside of Maricopa County and must be in Phoenix four days a week. They collect the federal per diem rate, thanks to a bill passed a few years ago. Right now, that's about $229 a day. But Maricopa County lawmakers? They already live here. They already collect mileage reimbursements for their commute to and from the Capitol. So, what expenses are we covering for our $35 a day, seven days a week? Or, if this bill passes, close to $200 a day? (The bill sets Maricopa County lawmakers' per diem at 80% of what out-of-county lawmakers collect.) Opinion: One of Arizona's kookiest senators wants to run our elections This last-minute cash grab is the brainchild of House Appropriations Chairman David Livingston, R-Peoria. He actually gutted a bill that offered raises to state troopers, corrections officers and court workers and replaced it with a five-fold increase in expense pay for Maricopa County legislators — who, by the way, comprise the majority of the Legislature. The rewritten Senate Bill 1061 cleared his committee on a 10-7 vote in the only public hearing his proposal will get. Livington reasoned that it's only fair to boost their take. 'I know there's members that live outside of this county that do get literally three times the amount of gross pay versus myself and other members of this county,' he said during the March 31 hearing on Senate Bill 1061. 'This needs to be fixed.' Actually, the whole per diem scam needs to be ended. This is nothing more than an end run around the state constitution — the part that says voters set legislative pay. Still, it's been 27 years, and I'm sympathetic to their plea for a raise. So, here's what I'd suggest. Ask voters for a reasonable pay raise next year and forget tying it to inflation. That, too, is an end run on voters. Respect what voters decided in 1998 and eliminate per diem piracy for Maricopa County legislators. If you've actually got expenses, you can file expense reports just like every other state employee. Commit to adjourning in April, as you're supposed to do. We don't need 1,700 bills filed every year, and we certainly don't need 300 new laws. Get in, pass a budget and go home. Perhaps then, more average citizens could serve in what is supposed to be a citizen Legislature. We are now beginning Month Four of this year's legislative session. Can anybody name anything of consequence that our leaders have accomplished? Anybody? Reach Roberts at Follow her on X (formerly Twitter) at @LaurieRobertsaz, on Threads at @LaurieRobertsaz and on BlueSky at @ Like this column? Get more opinions straight into your email inbox by signing up for our free opinions newsletter, which publishes Monday through Friday. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona could pay lawmakers $200 a day for fake expenses | Opinion
Chicago Tribune
21-03-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Editorial: Our views on the suburban ballots' advisory questions on fair maps, pension reforms and unfunded mandates
Illinois voters should have the opportunity to send a message to politicians on the most important issues affecting their quality of life and cost of living. Unfortunately, they rarely have that chance. That's why we're pleased to see a number of suburban townships asking voters to weigh in on big issue advisory questions on April 1. The questions cover thorny issues for Illinois politicians: Fair maps: 'Should the state of Illinois create an independent citizens commission to draw fair and competitive federal and state redistricting maps, rather than allowing lawmakers to decide?' Unfunded mandates: 'Should the state of Illinois be allowed to force unfunded mandates on local governments who may raise property taxes to cover the costs of those mandates?' Pension reform: 'Do you support constitutional pension reform to protect workers' existing retirements and generate savings which could provide property tax relief or be reinvested in the community?' The editorial board has long-held opinions on each of these issues. First, as we wrote in these pages earlier this month, Illinois must adopt fair maps that lead to fair and representative elections. House Minority Leader Tony McCombie along with Reps. Ryan Spain, R-Peoria and Dan Ugaste, R-Geneva are championing a lawsuit filed in January that would throw out the current outrageously gerrymandered map in favor of a fairer one. They've asked the Illinois Supreme Court to declare today's map unconstitutional and appoint an independent official to draw a new map. Regardless of the outcome in that lawsuit, the problem of gerrymandered maps — and politicians picking their voters — isn't going away until we change the way political maps are drawn. To that end, we encourage voters in Lemont, Homer and Palos townships to vote 'yes' on this advisory question. Second, the state should not be forcing unfunded mandates onto local governments, especially because they so often lead to increased tax burdens for residents. Why should the state be allowed to pass a bill that requires spending someone else has to cover? For example, Illinois sets required wage rates local governments have to pay for public works projects—a mandate that takes away local control, significantly inflates costs and limits the ability to stretch taxpayer dollars. We encourage voters in Palatine, Lemont, Homer, Palos, Leyden, Wheeling and Addison townships to vote 'no' on this advisory question. Third, the only way Illinois homeowners will ever see meaningful property tax relief is for the state to enact pension reform, which means a constitutional amendment. While supporting current retirees, this board has long said the state must amend a provision added to its constitution in 1970 that has made real progress on pensions practically impossible. This would not provide immediate property tax relief, but would stop pension costs from driving up property taxes in the long term. We encourage voters in Palatine, Lemont, Homer, Palos and Winfield townships to vote 'yes' on this advisory question. True, these questions are advisory, meaning they're nonbinding and have no legal impact. But they matter, because this opportunity offers a rare chance for us to see how Illinois voters feel about key issues and ideas for reform. We wish it was easier for Illinoisans to get meaningful, binding questions on the ballot, but Illinois' rules make it incredibly difficult to the point that it almost never happens. Meanwhile, California's process empowers voters there to directly participate in the state's legislative process by proposing and enacting laws or constitutional amendments. We encourage Springfield to give that power to the people of Illinois. Until then, it's important that voters weigh in when they can — and for elected officials to listen to the results. 'These are important issues. If the powers that be look at this I hope they see that people are taking notice,' Lemont Township Supervisor Mike Shackel told the editorial board.' Hopefully this gets the attention of the legislators and the governor. These issues have to be dealt with and they're being ignored.' Just like elections to determine who will represent you in the Illinois General Assembly, Village Hall and your local school boards, these advisory questions are an opportunity to send a message to Springfield. Tell them it's time to focus less on Washington and more on what's happening right here in Illinois. We say: Yes to fair maps. No to unfunded mandates. Yes to constitutional pension reform and property tax relief. Voters, the ball's in your court.
