A bill to examine the workload and salaries of state board and commission members passed a major hurdle today. AB 579, by Assemblymember Alyson Huber, passed the Assembly floor with overwhelming bipartisan support.
“With the state’s budget crisis we should examine every dollar spent to ensure it is being spent wisely. Examining the appointment of termed out legislators to state boards and commissions that pay bloated full-time salaries for less than part-time work is a good place to start,” said Assemblymember Huber. “I have introduced AB 579 to help ensure that commissioners are paid for the work they perform and not a dollar more.”
Recent news articles and media attention has put a spotlight on ex-legislators being appointed to cushy positions that pay excessively high salaries. For example, appointees to the Integrated Waste Management Board make $132,178 a year and members of the Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board make $114,191 a year.
AB 579 requires the State Auditor to audit the workload of the members of the Integrated Waste Management Board and the Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board by June 1, 2010 then at least two boards or commissions to be determined by the State Auditor every year, thereafter.
The bill will now move to the Senate.
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This is a typical big government tactic. Pretend you are addressing the issue by studying it until the public’s attention is focused elsewhere. Then the study is shelved and no action taken.
Seriously?? What about the bloated salaries of the current term Legislatures, and their per diem, and their State paid for personal vehicles?? State workers are suffering immensly, especially with no contract and another 5% on the table. The Legislatures salaries aren’t affected til the next term. I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if by then they say the cut isn’t necessary and that the budget is balanced.
Thank You Alyson, at least this is a step in the right direction.
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