In another stunning display of arrogance, California lawmakers held phony legislative sessions Friday just so they can continue to receive their tax-free $141 per-day expense payments through the Presidents Day holiday weekend. This is on top of their $95,291 annual salaries.
This comes at a time when they face a possible ballot measure that would make them part-time lawmakers, with part-time pay. You'd think they would be working overtime to show their value instead of manipulating the per-diem rules to keep their expense accounts flowing.
Lawmakers aren't entitled to per-diem pay if the Legislature is out of session for more than three days in a row. Lawmakers generally don't hold Friday sessions, so they would forfeit the expense pay if they didn't schedule the phony sessions. So a few lawmakers met briefly on Friday, allowing most of them to get a four-day weekend, and all of their expense payments.
The per-diem rules make sense because the pay is for the added expense of being in Sacramento. If lawmakers are back in their home districts, why should they get the expense payments for a long holiday weekend?
This comes at a time when lawmakers are fighting a proposal by Assembly Member Shannon Grove, R-Bakersfield, to create a part-time Legislature. Lawmakers would meet for three months and be paid $18,000 a year. Supporters must collect 807,615 valid voter signatures to put it on the November ballot.
It doesn't strike us as being politically wise to conduct the phony per-diem session, then try to argue that lawmakers need to be fulltime to complete all the work before them.
As to the question of a part-time Legislature, we support such a change, but think the Grove's three-month session may be a bit restrictive. We favor a six-month session, but aren't ready to take a specific position on Grove's measure.
Most of the problems in the Legislature have come because lawmakers have lost touch with California residents. They seldom understand the real impact that the laws they enact have on the people they represent. They listen to the special interests -- both on the left and the right -- but regular constituents have difficulty getting through to their Assembly member or state senator.
With their state perks and hefty expense allowances, most lawmakers don't know what it is like to balance a checkbook or wince when the price of gasoline jumps. Some even dispatch their taxpayer-funded aides to do personal errands.
If state representatives worked half the year in Sacramento and then had to hold another job in the community they represent, they would more likely interact with those constituents. That would be an improvement.
California went to a full-time Legislature in 1966. The goal was to "professionalize" our elected leaders. It has only created professional politicians who have brought gridlock to California.
Friday's per-diem session showed our lawmakers' real commitment to California residents. We should be able to do better in the Golden State.
Editorials are the opinion of the Merced Sun-Star editorial board. Members of the editorial board include Publisher Eric Johnston, Executive Editor Mike Tharp, Online Editor Brandon Bowers and Guest Editor Jessica Boerner-Grissom.
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