OUR VIEW: You’re not going to like this very much
This ought to make you mad.
Remember the tuition increases? Remember the budget cuts? Remember House Bill 331? Remember that since money was so tight, the legislators voted to keep out-of-state students from acquiring residency?
Well, now it can be seen where the money is.
The Associated Press reported Sunday that the state legislators have taken a $20-a-day pay hike for the 45-day session. OK, they only make $15,000 a year, but to reiterate, the legislative session is only 45 days long. But everyone else in the state works about 265 days each year.
True, Utah’s Legislature is a citizen legislature, meaning most members hold other jobs, and only have to work 45 days out of the year for the state.
But do those 45 days warrant $120 each day, plus a $75-a-day hotel allowance — whether or not one stays in a hotel during the session, a $38-a-day per diem (which is basically a fancy way of saying daily allowance) to pay for food, and 36.5 cents per mile in travel allowance to Salt Lake City?
Do the math. Currently, at $15,000 a year, the 104 legislators cost the state a total of $1,560,000. Add to that 104 hotel rooms for 45 days for a total of $351,000. Add to that 208 meals totaling $177,840.
The grand total then for 2003 will be about $2,088,840. That’s not even counting the varied travel expenses. At 36.5 cents per mile, someone driving to and from Cache Valley every day will be reimbursed $2,693.70.
This is a problem. Shouldn’t the state’s precious dollars be spent on something other than 45 days of lost work that is spent on state service? Of course it should.
This is where students need to speak out and make sure the government knows where money should go — to more teachers, university amenities and counselors. There would never be a cause for another House Bill 331 if money wouldn’t be blatantly wasted.
The Associated Press reported that another increase will happen Jan. 1, 2004 if action isn’t taken beforehand. Speak out. Get loud. Don’t waste time and let them take your money for $75-a-day hotels and $20 meals.
Legislators paid for food, gas, housing per day on top of normal $120
Each legislator gets 36.5 cents per mile for travel to Salt Lake City. That means:
* Sen. Thomas Hatch traveled to Salt Lake City from Panguitch in Garfield County and will return at the end of the session. Since that’s about 488 miles, one can assume he doesn’t make the trip daily. Sen. Hatch will be reimbursed $178.12.
* Rep. Michael E. Noel is traveling the farthest, coming from Kanab in Kane County, a distance of 622 miles. He will be reimbursed $227.03 to travel to Salt Lake City and back.
* Sen. Lyle Hillyard, Logan; Sen. Peter C. Knudson, Brigham City; Rep. Craig Buttars, Lewiston; Rep. Loraine T. Pace, Logan; Rep. Brent D. Parker, Wellsville; Rep. Eli H. Anderson, Tremonton are all coming from Cache and Box Elder counties, a distance of about 160 miles. These legislators could possibly live at home and travel to Salt Lake City every day and be reimbursed about $60 apiece per day. If they drive down separately each of the 45 days, look for a reimbursement request of $16,162.20, the total for the six of them.
–Compiled by Joseph M. Dougherty