“It’s a nice job if you can get it” ought to be the official motto of the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Although the gravy train has slowed down since 2005 when public revulsion greeted lawmakers who had given themselves a big pay raise in a late-night vote, the freebies have not dried up.
That is depressingly clear from filings with the state Ethics Commission. As reported by the Post-Gazette’s Tracie Mauriello on Sunday, 38 of the state’s 253 legislators shared in at least $67,000 worth of goodies last year.
This is not unique to PA. Citizens should assume this is going on in their state. People should remember this the next time the pols scream “budget crisis” and propose cuts to state education, state medical clinics, state road programs, etc.
Here in Mississippi Gov Barbour has done a masterful job of cutting the state budget across the board to meet the economic realities. Except in one place, Jackson. Nothing has been cut there. Would we the citizens of Mississippi really notice if the number of legislators was cut by, say, 50%????????
Oh, they would scream like stuck pigs, but really, at the end of the day, what material affect would it have on my life (other than perhaps lower state income tax?)?
The number of legislators and senators in PA is obscene. Much good could be achieved by reducing the number of legislators by 100, and making the legislature meet for no more than three months a year. Right now, “fast Eddy” Rendell, the governor elected to reduce taxes, has actually increased them substantially while claiming that his endorsement of gambling will ease the burden. His attempt to make I-80 a toll road so that he could provide yet another cash flow for PA politicians has so far been thwarted. This has not prevented him from making the worst toll road in the US – the PA turnpike – the most expensive toll road – another set of increases is slated for January. PA is a wonderful trough for piggy politicians and patronage jobs. Allegheny County is “served” by the county Police, the country Sheriff’s department, local village and town police forces, and an interesting group referred to as “constables” who are also “peace officers” but whose only job is to stand around magistrates’ courts. Any attempt tp consolidate these groups in the name of common sense to say nothing of efficiency is easily scuttled,
They should be required to pay taxes on the value of the gifts. And need I say that the same should apply to the benefits given to our “leaders” in the Fed?