Taxpayers pick up legislators' per diem tab Options

[Lancaster Online]

[radiolancaster]

Creighton, a Republican from Rapho Township, said eliminating per diems wouldn't do much to plug the $3.3 billion budget deficit. "I don't know that by taking away per diems or meals, I don't think that solves the problem," he said.

It's not about "plugging the $3.3 billion budget deficit" - it's the principle of it.

[Maffimuk]

This makes me sick.... this whole budget issue and everything associated with it is a total abuse of authority. I'm working my tail off for the state for free.... How about they slide some of that per diem my way, my kids could use some food. Especially after I get my last pay check next week.

[BigBaron55]

Our rep Creighton is not taking them and I am proud of him. Shows He really cares..

[Drink1975]

This makes me sick.... this whole budget issue and everything associated with it is a total abuse of authority. I'm working my tail off for the state for free.... How about they slide some of that per diem my way, my kids could use some food. Especially after I get my last pay check next week.

Funny how legislators feel it is okay to make you work without a check or condone firing of workers for not showing up for work and they get paid for not doing their jobs isn't it?

[anonymouse]

Except for Sturla, no one but Denlinger has used them. He lives 55 miles away and has stayed 4 nights. Seems reasonable to me. But to do away with them altogether, particularly with legislators from Pittsburgh, seems like an overreaction.

This post has been edited by anonymouse: Jul 8 2009, 11:04 AM

[citizen-too]

You can get to Harrisburg from anywhere in Pennsylvania in less than 6 hours. Are they staying in the hotels at our expense so they can see their girlfriends?

[UDelawareBH]

You can get to Harrisburg from anywhere in Pennsylvania in less than 6 hours. Are they staying in the hotels at our expense so they can see their girlfriends?

What about round trip? They apparently can't drive 12 hours per day, so they gotta stay overnight. 12 hours per day is a little ridiculous to do repetitively, although I am sure we've all done it a time or two.

[blahblah]

Glad to see the Lancaster paper finally picked up on this. Gee, how did I guess before even looking that Sturla and Denlinger would be the two who are taking per diems....or that Denlinger would at least try to justify it with some mumbo jumbo while Sturla would just be a total !profanity!?
A trip down memory lane in 2005....
"It's an hour-and-20-minute run each way," Denlinger said of his drive to Harrisburg. Denlinger, also from Lancaster County, has taken a per diem 58 times so far this year. He agreed to talk to News 8. "Well, I track my expenses in serving very closely, and it does roughly equal out to expenses. It's not some kind of salary enhancement. It ends up balancing itself out," Denlinger said.
To further clarify what the per diem is, it is not used to cover gas or tolls to get to and from Harrisburg. Lawmakers get that refunded separately. And they can get a car lease paid for as well. The per diem is just supposed to be for living costs. News 8's Ben Simmoneau asked Denlinger about that.
Simmoneau: "You take that per diem when you don't spend the night in Harrisburg?"
Denlinger: "I have because it balances itself out over time."
Neither Denlinger nor Armstrong could tell News 8 how often they spend the night in Harrisburg.
Simmoneau: "Is it once a week? Is it once a month? Is it..."
Denlinger: "Frequently. I would put it at frequently."
The rules say lawmakers are also not supposed to double dip if they take a per diem. But on several days this year, News 8 found both Armstrong and Denlinger also getting reimbursed for meals on days they collected $129. Those meals ranged from just $2.99 to $67 for Armstrong. For Denlinger it was $13 to $76. Denlinger said it is not double dipping.
(IMG:http://talkback.lancasteronline.com/style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)


This post has been edited by blahblah: Jul 8 2009, 12:21 PM

[Kate]

http://eedition.lancasteronline.com/pages/...08/A/10/2157054

Imagine the abuse Gov. Ed Rendell would receive if he were to announce he was leaving office because House and Senate Republicans have continually failed to meet their constitutional obligation to approve a budget on time. Imagine Rendell saying it would be the "quitters' path'' to continue to fight the "politics as usual'' charge that has come to characterize Harrisburg.

Rendell deserves abuse - I would be setting off fireworks if he announced he was leaving offce!! Rendell is playing "politics as usual" and the taxpayers as well as state employees of Pennsylvania are bearing the brunt of his actions. (IMG:http://talkback.lancasteronline.com/style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)

[scumchaser]

Rep. Sturla: You can be damned sure if you were working for MY private company you'd be submitting receipts for EXACTLY what you spent MY money on. If you came to me with "oh, I'm not exactly sure what i spent it on" you would not be reimbursed for your expenses. Why would us taxpayers expect anything less?

So, Rep. Sturla, why dont you "pretend" you work for someone else (hint: US taxpyers?) and hold yourself to a higher accountancy than the people who get fired for lying on their expense reports? Can we fire you next time you are vague on your expense report? Damned right we can. NEXT ELECTION!!

Memo to all career politicians; it is MY money you are frivolously spending, not "the States". We are the State, you morons!! We hire you to do a job. When you do not perform or you steal from "the company", you get fired. Oh, I forgot, you wrote the laws that give you the ability to be vague and spend MY money frivolously. You dont have the guts to do what's right, do you? Shakespeare was right about what to do with lawmakers.

[Lancaster]

Rep. Sturla: You can be damned sure if you were working for MY private company you'd be submitting receipts for EXACTLY what you spent MY money on. If you came to me with "oh, I'm not exactly sure what i spent it on" you would not be reimbursed for your expenses. Why would us taxpayers expect anything less?

So, Rep. Sturla, why dont you "pretend" you work for someone else (hint: US taxpyers?) and hold yourself to a higher accountancy than the people who get fired for lying on their expense reports? Can we fire you next time you are vague on your expense report? Damned right we can. NEXT ELECTION!!

Memo to all career politicians; it is MY money you are frivolously spending, not "the States". We are the State, you morons!! We hire you to do a job. When you do not perform or you steal from "the company", you get fired. Oh, I forgot, you wrote the laws that give you the ability to be vague and spend MY money frivolously. You dont have the guts to do what's right, do you? Shakespeare was right about what to do with lawmakers.

Yet the people of Lancaster keep voting this jerk into office year after year..... (IMG:http://talkback.lancasteronline.com/style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

[shmolzey]

Let's add this up. Our "public servants" in Harrisburg get:

• A very competitive salary
• Health insurance benefits
• a funded Retirement plan
• A car allowance
• An office allowance
• Reimbursement for any/all meals
• An allowance for support staff
• and a per diem for no particular reason?

Does anyone in the private sector get this kind of deal?

[Gresham]

Let's add this up. Our "public servants" in Harrisburg get:

• A very competitive salary
• Health insurance benefits
• a funded Retirement plan
• A car allowance
• An office allowance
• Reimbursement for any/all meals
• An allowance for support staff
• and a per diem for no particular reason?

Does anyone in the private sector get this kind of deal?

Ummmmm, yes, some do. Positions of significant responsibility get all of these things (of course they have support staff paid by the company but essentially it is funded). The bottom line for me is this: Although I am well aware of abuse in Harrisburg and DC and I am sure even here, these benefits are typical of the competetive business world. Now, should they be handing in receipts and getting the exact value back? Yes. But in the current system this is how it works. And quite frankly the numbers are not that high. I am very sorry for those state workers who are facing the very real possibility of no pay check but $45 a day for food is not completely out of whack.

[Maffimuk]

I am very sorry for those state workers who are facing the very real possibility of no pay check but $45 a day for food is not completely out of whack.

The state won't be giving me $45 a day. How about they give me $45 a day when I go to work. My point is that IT IS out of whack. They shouldn't get a dime, just like the rest of us state workers aren't getting a dime, until they fix the budget. The morons in Harrisburg have the same employer that I do: YOU. Since you don't think it is of whack to give $45 for food for the legislatures, how about you spot me 45 bucks a day until the budget is passed so my family can eat. I don't mean to sound like I'm breaking your balls, but we have to keep it in perspective here. They are using your money, and every other taxpayer's money, to stuff their faces and get a good night's sleep while the rest of us state workers go sleepless because we don't know if our family's going to be eating in a few weeks.