Schwarzenegger blasts legislators' pay raise By: BETH FOUHY
Schwarzenegger blasts legislators' pay raise By: BETH FOUHY - AP Political Writer
SACRAMENTO (AP) -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger stepped up his attack on the Democrat-controlled state Legislature Wednesday, chiding lawmakers for getting a pay raise despite the state's ongoing fiscal problems."Isn't that interesting?" Schwarzenegger said in a speech to the California Chamber of Commerce. "Instead of giving the people that really need the money -- like education, health care, healthy families, the poor people, the blind people -- instead of giving them more money, the legislators decided they need the money first. So they're taking the money first."
On Monday, an independent state commission granted legislators a 12 percent pay increase, boosting their annual salaries for the first time since 1998. Beginning in December, lawmakers in both houses will see their salaries increase from $99,000 to $110,880 -- the highest compensation in the country for state legislators.
The pay hike came amid forecasts that the state's 2006-2007 budget would carry a shortfall estimated to be at least $5 billion.The increase cannot be overturned by legislators or the governor, but Schwarzenegger and his aides said lawmakers could turn it down or refuse to accept it. Schwarzenegger, a multimillionaire, does not accept his $175,000 annual salary.Still, a review of Schwarzenegger's staff salaries by The Associated Press last year showed the Republican governor spends about eight percent more on staff salaries than did his predecessor, Democratic Gov. Gray Davis. He also is paying more salaries of $100,000 or higher within his inner circle than Davis did.In his speech before about 2,000 state business leaders, Schwarzenegger said he had been willing to consider the idea that legislators deserve a raise after seven years of no increases."So I sat down and started thinking about it," he said in a mocking voice, relating how former Gov. Pete Wilson, Davis' predecessor, left the state a surplus. "They have spent all of that money and they went and created a $22 billion debt. And They continue to spend more than we have. And they have chased businesses out of the state and jobs out of the state. They took the economy right down into the toilet and almost made the state go into bankruptcy."Yes, they deserve a raise! That's fair!" he said, drawing laughs from the crowd. "Under any normal circumstances, they would be fighting to keep their jobs, and keep their salaries."By mid-June, Schwarzenegger is expected to call a November special election for voters to consider three measures aimed at reforming state government -- an automatic spending cap, legislative redistricting and a proposal to make it harder for teachers to receive tenure.Schwarzenegger has cast legislators as the principal antagonists in his reform efforts and said their unwillingness to negotiate had forced him to take his proposals before voters.Democrats, for their part, have said they would be willing to negotiate with the governor. In a statement released Tuesday, Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez called on Schwarzenegger to "clear his schedule" for a meeting with legislative leaders and said he would be willing to do the same.The pay increase was yet another "data point" in the governor's argument that legislators were not interested in doing their part to reform the state, Schwarzenegger spokesman Vince Sollitto said.Nunez spokesman Steve Maviglio said Schwarzenegger had failed to named two commissioners to the board that determines state salaries, and that several legislators already have announced they will refuse the pay increase or donate the additional money to nonprofit organizations.But, Maviglio said, "Not everyone can be a billionaire movie star to serve in public office."Thomas Dominguez, a member of the commission that approved the salary hike, said the increase was needed so residents who are not wealthy can run for office."Taking no action only ensures that the Legislature becomes a place for the rich and famous, and I am not interested in making it or keeping it a place for the rich and famous," Dominguez said.As with most of his public appearances in recent months, Schwarzenegger was greeted by several dozen noisy protesters outside the downtown convention center. Shortly after he began his speech, a handful of protesters began shouting in the back of the room before being ushered out by police.Schwarzenegger also stopped by a Sacramento-area charter school Wednesday, telling some 500 middle and high school students that he had boosted state education funding but that reforms were needed to make schools even better."If we just threw money at you kids, we wouldn't be doing our job," he said.The school visit came before a scheduled afternoon rally outside the Capitol in which teachers were expected to criticize the governor's education policies.
SACRAMENTO (AP) -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger stepped up his attack on the Democrat-controlled state Legislature Wednesday, chiding lawmakers for getting a pay raise despite the state's ongoing fiscal problems."Isn't that interesting?" Schwarzenegger said in a speech to the California Chamber of Commerce. "Instead of giving the people that really need the money -- like education, health care, healthy families, the poor people, the blind people -- instead of giving them more money, the legislators decided they need the money first. So they're taking the money first."
On Monday, an independent state commission granted legislators a 12 percent pay increase, boosting their annual salaries for the first time since 1998. Beginning in December, lawmakers in both houses will see their salaries increase from $99,000 to $110,880 -- the highest compensation in the country for state legislators.
The pay hike came amid forecasts that the state's 2006-2007 budget would carry a shortfall estimated to be at least $5 billion.The increase cannot be overturned by legislators or the governor, but Schwarzenegger and his aides said lawmakers could turn it down or refuse to accept it. Schwarzenegger, a multimillionaire, does not accept his $175,000 annual salary.Still, a review of Schwarzenegger's staff salaries by The Associated Press last year showed the Republican governor spends about eight percent more on staff salaries than did his predecessor, Democratic Gov. Gray Davis. He also is paying more salaries of $100,000 or higher within his inner circle than Davis did.In his speech before about 2,000 state business leaders, Schwarzenegger said he had been willing to consider the idea that legislators deserve a raise after seven years of no increases."So I sat down and started thinking about it," he said in a mocking voice, relating how former Gov. Pete Wilson, Davis' predecessor, left the state a surplus. "They have spent all of that money and they went and created a $22 billion debt. And They continue to spend more than we have. And they have chased businesses out of the state and jobs out of the state. They took the economy right down into the toilet and almost made the state go into bankruptcy."Yes, they deserve a raise! That's fair!" he said, drawing laughs from the crowd. "Under any normal circumstances, they would be fighting to keep their jobs, and keep their salaries."By mid-June, Schwarzenegger is expected to call a November special election for voters to consider three measures aimed at reforming state government -- an automatic spending cap, legislative redistricting and a proposal to make it harder for teachers to receive tenure.Schwarzenegger has cast legislators as the principal antagonists in his reform efforts and said their unwillingness to negotiate had forced him to take his proposals before voters.Democrats, for their part, have said they would be willing to negotiate with the governor. In a statement released Tuesday, Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez called on Schwarzenegger to "clear his schedule" for a meeting with legislative leaders and said he would be willing to do the same.The pay increase was yet another "data point" in the governor's argument that legislators were not interested in doing their part to reform the state, Schwarzenegger spokesman Vince Sollitto said.Nunez spokesman Steve Maviglio said Schwarzenegger had failed to named two commissioners to the board that determines state salaries, and that several legislators already have announced they will refuse the pay increase or donate the additional money to nonprofit organizations.But, Maviglio said, "Not everyone can be a billionaire movie star to serve in public office."Thomas Dominguez, a member of the commission that approved the salary hike, said the increase was needed so residents who are not wealthy can run for office."Taking no action only ensures that the Legislature becomes a place for the rich and famous, and I am not interested in making it or keeping it a place for the rich and famous," Dominguez said.As with most of his public appearances in recent months, Schwarzenegger was greeted by several dozen noisy protesters outside the downtown convention center. Shortly after he began his speech, a handful of protesters began shouting in the back of the room before being ushered out by police.Schwarzenegger also stopped by a Sacramento-area charter school Wednesday, telling some 500 middle and high school students that he had boosted state education funding but that reforms were needed to make schools even better."If we just threw money at you kids, we wouldn't be doing our job," he said.The school visit came before a scheduled afternoon rally outside the Capitol in which teachers were expected to criticize the governor's education policies.
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