Lawmakers Deserve More Money, N.O. Senator Says- She Also Wants Raise For Aides
by Ed Anderson - Times-Picayune (excerpt)

BATON ROUGE -- Lawmakers should be paid at least $70,000 a year instead of the $22,800 they now get in salary and expense allowances, according to a bill filed by Sen. Ann Duplessis, D-New Orleans.

Besides the base salary of $16,800 a year and $6,000 to help run their legislative offices, Duplessis' bill would continue the payment of per diem allowances for every day lawmakers are in special or regular session. It would end the per diem for committee meetings between sessions, such as a special study committee or temporary appointments to the State Bond Commission.

Lawmakers are now being paid $143 a day to attend sessions and official meetings between sessions. They also receive 48.5 cents a mile in travel expenses.

Duplessis said she based the salary proposal on the pay of a consultant who works 40 hours a week at $35 an hour.

Duplessis also filed Senate Bill 653 to authorize senators to hire an additional staffer and boosting the pay of legislative assistants from a starting salary of $2,000 a month to $2,900 a month and a top salary after 10 years of $3,900 a month, up from the $3,000 a month ceiling now in place.

The bill would not authorize additional assistants to House members.

COMMENTARY: $70,000 a year, UNBELIEVABLE!