Most of our elected officals are hoping that we will all forget how they robbed us in the middle of the night by the time re-elction rolls around. PowerBlog! pledges not to let that happen.
We have been digging into the compensation packages a bit deeper. Let's consider the"extra" stuff lawmakers get outside of stright pay. Here are some of the Benefits and other perks available to Pennsylvania legislators:
Health care: State pays entire premiums for more than 3,200 legislators, staffers and their families. Plan covers medical, prescription-drug, dental and vision expenses, with certain deductibles and copayments, and includes life and long-term disability insurance. The annual cost of insuring legislators, who unlike staffers also receive long-term care insurance, is $13,500 for each of the 203 representatives and $14,280 for each of the 50 senators.
Pensions: The latest pay raises also will increase future legislative pensions, just four years after lawmakers approved a 50-percent boost in their pensions. A rank-and-file legislator who retires in 2008 with 20 years' service now will receive as much as roughly $50,000 a year - 62 percent of his or her salary. Lawmakers contribute to the pension plan, with most paying between 6.25 and 7.5 percent of their salaries. Taxpayers also chip in; they contributed about $2,000 per lawmaker last year.
Capitol offices: Legislators get offices in the Capitol complex and staffs in their Harrisburg and districts offices that are paid out of caucus accounts controlled by Republican and Democratic leaders
Expenses: House members are reimbursed for as much as $19,800 a year for rent, utilities and other costs of running local offices in their home districts around the state. They also can recover an additional $20,000 a year in those and other costs, such as professional services and insurance on their leased vehicles, through a separate expense allowance and they get a postage allowance of $4,000 a year. Senators have an annual expense account of $25,000 a year and a postage allowance of $26,500 a year. Members who live more than 50 miles from the Capitol receive $128 a day for meals, lodging and incidental expenses whenever they are in Harrisburg on legislative business.
Vehicles: Lawmakers are reimbursed for car lease payments and other vehicle expenses. Representatives receive as much as $7,800 a year, while senators get a $7,200 allowance.
Party leaders: In addition to extra salary, party leaders in both houses get enhanced expense allowances, ranging from $7,000 a year for floor leaders to $2,000 for the lowest-ranking leaders. Committee chairmen. The chairmen of Senate committees get an additional $15,000 for committee-related expense, while their House counterparts get $2,000 to $4,000.
Sources: Senate clerk's office, House Bipartisan Management Committee, Pennsylvania State Employees Retirement System
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