Newspaper: Trim Legislature to save money

Pennsylvania has run up a $658 million budget deficit in the first five months of the current fiscal year. Estimates are the deficit will hit $2 billion by next spring.

Gov. Rendell has found $300 million in cuts from departments under his control, but $300 million isn't going to make much of a dent in a $2 budget shortfall.

Unlike the federal government, which can just print more money, Pennsylvania is bound by its Constitution to balance its budget each year. So more cuts in spending and a possible tax hike are being discussed, although raising taxes during a recession is not very appetizing.

Where can we save money?

At least one newspaper has suggested we lay off members of the Pennsylvania Legislature, the most expensive state legislature in the country, with 253 elected members and 3,000 staffers costing taxpayers $300 million a year.

From an editorial in the Reading Eagle:

With the commonwealth facing a fiscal-year deficit that some in state government have pegged at between $1 billion and $2 billion, officials are looking for ways to trim the budget while still providing the services that Pennsylvania needs.

If the number of senators and representatives were reduced by as much as half, the state could save $10 million or more just on salaries.

Yes, $10 million is a mere drop in the bucket when talking about a deficit that could be 100 or 200 times that amount. But to paraphrase the late Sen. Everett Dirksen, an Illinois Republican, $1 million here, $10 million there, and pretty soon we’re talking about some real savings for the taxpayers.

According to the Economy League report, the commonwealth has the second-largest number of legislators at 253, trailing only New Hampshire, with 424. But New Hampshire has a true citizens Legislature, with each lawmaker receiving only $200 a day for a limited number of days per year.

Compare that with the base salary of slightly more than $76,163, (the salary is $78,315 as of Dec. 1) which is boosted by perks such as extra salary for leadership positions and extremely generous health insurance and retirement packages.

As a result of just the legislators’ base salaries, the Pennsylvania taxpayers are on the hook for $19.3 million every year. Much larger states in terms of population — California and New York, for example — pay far less for their lawmakers even though their lawmakers receive higher salaries.

Indeed, the combination of the pay, the perks and the number of lawmakers in Pennsylvania make it one of the most expensive legislatures in the nation.

Read the full editorial, "To trim the budget, trim the Legislature," at the newspaper's Web site.

I've made three offers in the past two years to give up my state legislators in an effort to save money, but I haven't had any takers yet. Check out my previous posts: $1.2 million per legislator and Disband the Pennsylvania Legislature and Take my legislators, please