Plan Protecting Career Pols Advances In Pa

Plan Protecting Career Pols Advances In Pa — The shrinking of the Pennsylvania legislature pushed by Gov. Tom Corbett now has the support of legislative Republican leaders.

Several bills are pending that would cut the size of the legislature now at 50 senators and 203 House members to  40 or 30 senators and to either 153, 151 or 120 House members.

The claim is that it will  save money.

Of course, that  larger  constituencies   insulate  career politicians  from angry voters is a simple, happy by-product.

House members now represent about 63,000 people apiece, while a senator represents about 254,000 people. During the outrage over the 2005 legislative pay hike, only two senators were voted from their seats in 2006 — and in primary elections where the constituency is halved — compared to 23 in the State House including five in the general election. The Republicans kept control of the Senate without a change to their eight-seat majority. The Democrats took eight seats in the House to take control of that body.

If the legislators were serious about saving tax money instead of  protecting their jobs they would cut their $79, 623 (rank and file) salaries by a third; eliminate their pension and health plans, and, especially, kill the $163 per diem they give  themselves.

But you don’t hear them saying that.

Pennsylvania has a larger than average state legislature. It also has a much higher-paid than average state legislature.

Larger than average representation is good. Larger than average in cost is bad.

Let’s keep the representation and cut the cost. Let’s be represented by fellow citizens and not by mandarins who think their jobs are an entitlement.

Plan Protecting Career Pols Advances In Pa