Republican Minority Whip Lee Rawson and I agree on something. It is not often I would agree with him but I think his call for a small salary for legislators is the right thing to do. He is
suggesting that state lawmakers be paid about $25,000 a year. That makes a lot of sense to me because about the only people who will run for these seats are retired state employees, special interest reps and the like. If there were a little salary to go with the per diem payments, which barely cover expenses, then maybe more mainstrean citizens would realise they could take the time to do this. Volunteer legislatures are good, but they may be a thing of the past.
I have a good friend who wants to buy some City of Albuquerque manhole covers. They city came out with some special ones that are based on a design I had done when I was Mayor. They depict the city's tricentennial. Mayor Chavez turned the design into a manhole cover. That was a nice touch. The more I think about it, I would like to buy one for a memento for the back yard. I bet the city could make some money selling these things and I hope they will do it. Yeah, I know, this is weird but I want one.
suggesting that state lawmakers be paid about $25,000 a year. That makes a lot of sense to me because about the only people who will run for these seats are retired state employees, special interest reps and the like. If there were a little salary to go with the per diem payments, which barely cover expenses, then maybe more mainstrean citizens would realise they could take the time to do this. Volunteer legislatures are good, but they may be a thing of the past.
I have a good friend who wants to buy some City of Albuquerque manhole covers. They city came out with some special ones that are based on a design I had done when I was Mayor. They depict the city's tricentennial. Mayor Chavez turned the design into a manhole cover. That was a nice touch. The more I think about it, I would like to buy one for a memento for the back yard. I bet the city could make some money selling these things and I hope they will do it. Yeah, I know, this is weird but I want one.
1 comment:
NO SALARIES!!!! The next thing you know, we'll have salaried staffs and a full-time legislature! We do NOT need that!
Also, if you add a $25k salary, which is not that small in NM, might you see people who run for the seat ONLY to get the $$? I know we all agree that we don't want that!
Look at other states that have made the transition from citizen legislatures to professional ones. The transition never goes as planned and the unintended consequences are manifest!
There is a WIDE spectrum of financial backgrounds represented in the legislature. Rich to poor can be found there. Don't mess with what we've got. The best thing about our legislature is that it never meets!
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