California lawmakers stripped of state cars

[The Northerner]

The valuable perk will be replaced with a $300 monthly transportation allowance under a decision by a state panel that says the change will cut in half what taxpayers now spend on the legislators.

California lawmakers on Thursday were stripped of a valued perk — a state-purchased car that has been replaced with a $300 monthly transportation allowance.

The California Citizens Compensation Commission, responsible for setting state officials' salaries and benefits, said the move would save more than $2.3 million over the next five years, cutting in half what taxpayers spend on lawmakers' transportation.

Not all legislators have state cars, but for those who do, taxpayers spend an average $7,300 a year — more than double the new allowance — on the vehicle purchase, gas, maintenance and insurance. Many lawmakers pay a small share of the purchase price.

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-lawmakers-pay-20110415,0,4826666.story

[LooseWilly]

1. Jerry Brown can be a bit of an asshole, but he's not always wrong...

Hehe... one thing's for sure, the lawmakers will still be able to make it to work. (Kind of funny really)

[Bluenorthwest]

9. Jerry is not an asshole and he's almost always right

Had CA listened to him when he was governor before, they'd not be flat broke today. When he was elected the first time, he also refused the limo Reagan has put in use and the brand new horrid mansion the Reagans blew tons of money on and never moved into. So, no limo, but Jerry did keep employing the driver, who drove his compact hoopty, so the driver retained his job and Jerry could work during the commutes. So. They gave him a mansion and a limo, and he refused them for the sake of the people's money. A real asshole, that guy.

[upi402]

16. I'm on the "Borwn's not an asshole" side of things

You may know him well, I dunno. But he does selfless things all the time and has worked his whole life to empower the powerless.

And seems he was right about NAFTA -and right down the line from there since, IMHO.

[glowing]

2. How is it that people who are supposed to be "employees" of the People

end up with payment perks to get to work; while people who actually elect them, pay taxes to support them and policy, and are theoretically supposed to be in "charge" end up with less and less and less in their jobs... that is if they have jobs.

[ixion]

3. "cutting in half what taxpayers spend on lawmakers' transportation."

And why is it that taxpayers pay ANY of their transportation?

This is part of what is wrong with politics, in my opinion.

[cutlassmama]

4. Exactly. Why do they still get $300.00 a month for transportation?

When I worked for the State we didn't get any kind of stipend for transportation. A lot of times (several years) I took the bus. No one cared if I had transportation or not. Why should we care if they do?

[Divernan]

7. Employees who work in two different locations are allowed travel costs

between said locations. Either they are reimbursed by their employers, or they can declare uncompensated costs as business expenses on their federal tax returns. Obviously, legislators live varying distances from their state capitols, particularly in states like California, Texas & Alaska. Sacramento is several hundred miles from the southern part of the state. Legislators also drive to other parts of their states for hearings on bills before their respective committees. I know about this because for 10 years I had a job requiring me to drive about 35,000 miles a year on business.

With the cost of gas plus depreciation on their autos, $300 a month may be fair for some whose district offices are near Sacramento, but not for legislators living in central and southern California. I think the state should have eliminated the leased autos, and varied the monthly transportation allowance depending upon how far away the legislators' districts are from Sacramento.

[Bluenorthwest]

10. In larger States most legislators fly to the capitol

Driving to Sacramento? Right. That's what they do. They drive. The last Governor of CA used a personal jet to commute.

[nessa]

13. They should get 51 cents a mile, standard rate for business miles...

Submit a detailed record with dates, times and locations, just like everyone else.

[PotatoChip]

8. Well I can't speak for California

but I do know that in Maine, state lawmakers need the transportation supplement to help pay for massively expensive travel costs... both w/in their districts (some of which are the size of a small state) and when traveling to the capitol where some of the lawmakers have a 5 hr drive one way.

Maine legislators do not have state cars (and never did) so they put alot of wear and tear on their own in order to do the job the people hired them to do. These legislators are already taking a financial hit by serving to begin with. The last time I checked, they were paid 17k for their 2 year terms. ($9,500 the first yr and $7,500 the 2nd)

[truedelphi]

14. What happened in California is that the state legislators were

Filing huge numbers more than average insurance claims. There were insurance claims filed for one out of every eleven cars that the legislators used!

One legislator wanted to be reimbursed 1,300 dollar for running over a raccoon!?! Perhaps on account of his pain and emotional trauma at being responsible for said animal's demise? :shrug:

Another legislator filing for a minor repair job asked 28K in damages.

We are shutting down our libraries, laying off our teachers, and these people are swindling away the savings.

[LiberalFighter]

5. Isn't the $162 a day per diem enough??

Well I suppose with higher gas prices in CA it might not be.

But, they probably should tie the amount to their location. If they live within 50 miles a certain amount. If they live more than 50 but less than 150 a higher amount. Etc.

[Donnachaidh]

6. They should make them keep track of their mileage, and then put in a request fot reimbursement

$300 a month allowance? How many other professions gets that amount for driving?

IRS doesn't allow you to take mileage getting to and from your main job. WHY should we be paying for them to do so?

These *reps* aren't going to feel the pain until they have to dip into their pockets. Let them account for the mileage, pay the gas charges -themselves- up front, and then put in paperwork to be reimbursed.

[SoCalDem]

11. My husband gets $400 a month

years ago he had a company car, but it was a P.O.S. Chevy 1500 truck that spent more time in the shop than on the road.. At one point in his career, he got $500 a month & that covered insurance for all cars, and the payment for the vehicle he bought..company paid for gas on a credit card for the company travel..

[blueamy66]

12. If their job forces them to travel long distances, then they

should be reimbursed for the gas mileage.

I'm not talking about driving 10 miles to your office....I'm talking about, well, let's say my guy....lives in AZ and has to go to CA, NV and UT. His corporate office is in Iowa and I guess that they don't understand how long of a car ride it is from PHX to SFO. But they have given him a corporate car...and rightly so....just be reasonable people!

I do find it funny that some of my co-workers charge for mileage to run to the local ACE hardware to buy 3 screws...which they want their 15 cents back for.

[truedelphi]

15. See my response - number 14 above. I mean,

This has to do with mileage but rather has everything to do with the phony baloney damage claims that were being submitted.

[blueamy66]

17. ok

I'll check it out.

on edit: absolutley ridiculous what people try to get away with these days...