Good Question: Should Legislators Get Paid In A Special Session?
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- It is a familiar story now. A Minnesota legislature has reached the end of its session, and there is no budget to keep the state running after July 1.
The Republican-controlled House and Senate passed a budget that DFL Governor Mark Dayton vetoed on Tuesday. A special session will have to be called to get a deal done.
"Do politicians make a 'special bonus' for a special session?" asked Bryan Thiery.
"Why do we have to pay state senators and representatives for a special session? They didn't do their job in the time allotted. It is just like rewarding a CEO for a failing year. Why pay overtime?" emailed Jody Hicks-Trick.
"It's their regular pay they get during the special session," said WCCO Political Reporter Pat Kessler.
But, they do have the opportunity to get more money during that session.
"When they are in session they get something extra called per diem," said Kessler.
Senators get $86 a day, while Representatives get $77. During a special session, if everyone claimed it, that costs taxpayer $16,147 a day.
"It adds up to a lot of money, plus it adds to your pension, a lot of lawmakers use it as a back door pay increase," said Kessler.
Some estimates are that a special session will cost taxpayers $40,000 a day.
In fact, near the end of this session, several Republican House members put forth a bill proposing docking the pay of legislators the Governor and the other elected Constitutional officers if there wasn't a balanced budget agreement signed during the special session.
Republican Senators put forth a bill proposing a pay cut and no chance for per diem payments during a special session.
"If you don't do your job should you get paid?" is a question Kessler said many are asking, but neither bill got anywhere, according to Kessler.
Originally, per diem was intended to cover meals and housing for legislators who travel to the Capitol. But that's changed.
"Now this is over and above," said Kessler, because "the state pays for hotels, apartments, expenses and gas."
So take the base salary of around $33,000, add $10,000 for per diem payments and thousands more in expenses.
"Some legislators have compensation of $60,000 to $70,000 because of that," said Kessler.
If there is a government shutdown, legislators will continue to be paid as they are generally ruled to be essentially government workers. They also will be able to collect per diems, although for appearances, Kessler said he expects many to not take the payments in solidarity with the out-of-work state employees.
