Rep. Dee Richard (No Party – Thibodaux) wants to freeze per diem payments to legislators for the next two years. That is to say, Rep. Richard does not want to eliminate the payments, but suspend the growth of those payments by putting a pay-ceiling on them.
The House and Governmental Affairs Committee approved the measure on a 9-7 vote after a motion to kill the idea died on a 9-8 vote.House Bill 1390 now heads to the House floor.“If we cannot live with $159 per diem, I shouldn’t say shame but….,” said state Rep. Dee Richard, No Party-Thibodaux, trailing off at the end of his sentence.“I want to do something to show the Legislature wants to do something to reduce some of our costs,” said Richard, noting the state’s budget problems.Per diem is the money lawmakers get to cover expenses while they are in session, attending interim committee meetings, legislative conferences and the like. The amount is tied to the rate federal employees receive when traveling in the Baton Rouge area.The per diem amount is adjusted annually with the federal rate. Today, per diem is $159. It has risen from $113 in 2005.Richard’s House Bill 1390 would freeze the $159 from July 1 to July 1, 2012.
Rep. Richard is one of three Independent legislators in the Louisiana House of Representatives and one of four in the Louisiana legislature.
Thanks for the news from one of our Independents holding office.
Meanwhile in Green Party news across the big pond..
Green Party say their voice is ‘not being heard’
Caroline Lucas said the TV debates had been a disappointment
The “two party stitch-up has become a three party stitch up”, the Green Party leader has said, following the third TV prime ministerial debate.
Caroline Lucas told the BBC that lots of different views and ideas were “simply not being heard”.
She said one such Green policy was to make a “major investment” in jobs which promoted renewable energy.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/election_2010/8654724.stm