State Assembly leaders give $551,000 in pay raises as financial crisis continues
State Assembly leaders give $551,000 in pay raises to 136 staff members as California’s financial crisis continues. About $350,000 went to 80 employees serving Democrats, $201,000 to those working for Republicans.
Speaker Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles) and minority leader Mike Villines (R-Clovis) said the raises will be covered by cost reductions in other areas.
No raises are planned this year in the state Senate, where there is a salary freeze, according to a spokeswoman for Senate leader Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento).
-- Patrick McGreevy
EDITOR'S PICKS:
Awesome. Meanwhile, CA's contribution to my SSI was cut by $38. That might not seem like much, but I only receive $870 a month total benefits. I guess this is one of the areas where they're achieving cost reductions.
Posted by: Andy Capp | April 21, 2009 at 08:10 PM
The State Assembly have just cut my SSI disability by 1/4..which will make paying my rent impossible.. however , unlike an able person I don't have the option of walking out and looking for a tree to sleep under. Giving pay-raises to themselves is a little more than insensitive...it's corrupt. .. but then when were politicians anything other than hypocrytical liars and crooks.
Posted by: Robert Elliott | April 21, 2009 at 10:22 PM
It's unfortunate that they found a way to justify giving these raises so nonchalantly. The fact that they state that raises will be covered by cost reductions in other areas is horrible. Are they not aware people are taking pay reductions and getting laid off as a result of these "cost reductions"? This is disgusting. Truly moronic and insensitive on their part.
Posted by: Sarah | April 22, 2009 at 07:25 AM
If you give oodles of money to a bunch of crooks what do you expect they will do with it? The abuse of taxpayers money is beyond description. But we Californians bear some of the blame for being so incredibly naive.
Posted by: Jim barton | April 23, 2009 at 01:58 AM