In any language, Legislators fleece taxpayers again

What little faith taxpayers had left in state lawmakers has been shaken again by new revelations of greed in Harrisburg.

The Associated Press reports that a dozen Pennsylvania legislators collected more in "per diems" last year than lawmakers earned in salary in 28 other states. "Per diem" is a latin word that means "by the day."

Some Pennsylvania lawmakers have collected more than $46,000 in per diems — payments for meals and lodging while on official duty — over the last two years, according to a review of expense records.

The payments, among the most generous of all states at $141 per day, are in addition to the $72,187 base salary that Pennsylvania lawmakers enjoy. Legislative leaders earn more than $100,000 a year.

Is there any other job where a person gets paid just to show up for work?

The 253 members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly are the second highest paid in the nation, but when you factor in all the perks they've given themselves through the years, Pennsylvania has the most expensive legislature in the country.

Legislators defend per diems as an appropriate reimbursement method widely used by corporate America, accordig to the Associated Press report. But Tim Potts, the founder of Democracy Rising PA, a Harrisburg watchdog group, called per diems "income generators."

"It's one of the first things legislators learn in freshman orientation: Maximize income, minimize expenses, leave rich," Potts said.

Rules for per diems in Pennsylvania are scant and loose, according to the Associated Press. Legislators can get them when voting at the Capitol, when attending committee meetings, and even just for showing up to work in Harrisburg when the legislature is not in session.

Rep. Mark Cohen, the Philadelphia Democrat who billed taxpayers $28,200 for his private library, took more than $46,000 in per diems over the past two years. The Associated Press reported that Cohen owns a home two blocks from the Capitol, so his claims that the per diem covers his hotel expenses when he's in Harrisburg is dubious, at best.

"I'm a very hard worker. I do a lot of paperwork in the office. I take the job extremely seriously," said Cohen, who is the third-ranking Democrat in the House.

Each year, Pennsylvania taxpayers cover about $2.7 million in per diems, according to the Associated Press. That's on top of generous car allowances, full pensions and premium health insurance legislators receive — all paid for by taxpayers.

Two area legislators were among those cashing in on the per diem sham. Rep. Raymond Bunt Jr., a Montgomery County Republican, collected $45,815 in per diem payments over the past two years, according to House records reviewed by The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Bunt, who also voted for the July 2005 pay raise, is not seeking re-election after 23 years in the legislature.

Rep. Tim Hennessey, a Chester County Republican, collected $44,210 from taxpayers over a two-year period, according to The Inquirer.

Inexplicably, Hennessey is not facing an opponent in the May 16 primary election. Only the emergence of a successful write-in candidate or a minor party challenger could offer voters an alternative to Hennessey, who has represented the 26th House District in northern Chester County for the past 13 years. Hennessey was also among the July 2005 pay-jackers.

The per diem revelation is just the latest example of the betrayal of the public trust by self-serving politicians.

Pennsylvania voters must show up in record numbers on May 16 to send a clear message that they are tired of being fleeced by career politicians.