Why are underpaid leges seeking re-election?

Why are so many underpaid and overworked leges running for re-election this fall?

Within two months after the lege “reformers” were elected to the lege we began hearing whining about their tough workload and poor pay.

The “rookies” said they didn’t know how much time the job to which they were elected entailed. Yet, in some cases, they spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to get the job.

One might understand them not knowing the time requirements, but surely they knew what the pay was when they ran for office.

The incumbent leges now know exactly what the job requires of them and what is the pay which cannot be increased for this next term (LA Const. Article III, Section 4). It makes one wonders why so many of these overworked, unpaid public servants are running for reelection.

Deja vu

Of those who voted for the massive lege pay raise in 2008 who are not term-limited an astounding 85 percent are running either for reelection or for a seat in the opposite house.

Either these leges are very slow learners or something other than the salary makes them willing to spend upwards of a hundred thousand dollars to get reelected.

Spare us the “to serve the public.” By voting for the pay raise you proved that you don’t even understand the term “public service.”

Action needed

So that we don’t have anymore misunderstandings about the lege workload and pay, below are two lists of questions that you can ask candidates running for the lege in your area this fall.

If you choose to ask them and are willing to share their responses with me, I will compile the answers by candidate. Thus, if in the next term the leges propose another massive pay raise. We will then be able to determine whether their campaign rhetoric matches their action.

For those running for an “open” seat in the lege or against an incumbent:

1.Do you understand what the job entails and how much time it will require?

2.Do you know how much it pays?

3.Are you willing to do the job for that pay?

4.Will you vote for a pay raise for future leges?

For those leges running for reelection:

1.Did you vote for the 2008 massive pay raise?

2.If yes: Why are you running again? You said you were overworked and underpaid. What changed?

3.For all: Will you vote for a pay raise for future leges?

These questions will hopefully prevent a lot of surprises for the new leges and keep them from sleeping in their cars in the Capitol parking lot.