EDITORIAL: It's Called Public Service
Times-Picayune (excerpt)

Louisianians surely spilled bucketsful of coffee as they read news that state Sen. Ann Duplessis' wants to increase lawmakers' salaries from $16,800 a year to $70,000.

That's not a typo.

Her proposal, Senate Bill 672, also would hike lawmakers' expense allowances to help run their offices from $6,000 a year to $18,000 for representatives and $36,000 for senators.

If your blood pressure is rising, take heart. Sen. Duplessis says she will amend her bill to keep the expense allowances at $6,000 for House members and raise them only to $12,000 for senators. Taxpayers, she apparently figures, will appreciate her consideration.

What the senator should do is to withdraw this absurd proposal. If not, lawmakers ought to give this bill a quick death.