Monday, Jun. 15, 2009
Blakeslee won't take pay cut, but will donate a portion of his pay to charity
Assemblyman won’t take salary cut like some colleagues, but will give 10 percent to local charities
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closeAssembly Republican Leader Sam Blakeslee of San Luis Obispo will not join a handful of counterparts who are cutting their salaries by 18 percent, but he will cut his by 10 percent, which he will donate to local charities.
The tax-averse Blakeslee conceded that legislator salary cuts won’t make much of a dent in the state’s $24.3 billion budget shortfall. But it is a good symbolic action, an aide said.
Four of every five lawmakers are accepting full pay of $116,208 in a year of a multibillion-dollar deficit, major program cuts and mandatory salary reductions for state workers.
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Poll:What do you think of Assemblyman Blakeslee's decision to donate part of his salary to charity?
Three legislators have cut their salaries by 18 percent.
Those include state Sen. Abel Maldonado, R-Santa Maria, who represents San Luis Obispo County; Assemblyman Mike Eng, D-Monterey Park; and Sen. Alan Lowenthal, D-Long Beach.
The Senate and Assembly say they are committed to reducing their operating expenses through June 2010, but have no control over pay of their elected members, which is set by an independent commission.
Besides salary, lawmakers are entitled to about $35,000 annually in tax-free per diem pay for living expenses, plus use of a leased vehicle, with gasoline and maintenance.
Seventeen legislators have rejected the car, and six have turned down per-diem pay.
Mark DiCamillo, director of the Field Poll, said lawmakers’ record-low approval rating of 14 percent is largely because of public anger over the budget mess, not from lawmakers’ decisions about sharing pain.
But voters undoubtedly would applaud a voluntary pay cut, he said.
California’s legislators are the nation’s highest paid.
But they earn considerably less than many top officials of large cities, counties and school districts, records show. And upon leaving office, legislators receive no pension or health benefits.
The Sacramento Bee contributed to this story.
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