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Milking the legislative per diem
Posted By katie allison granju
Rep. Campfield says legislators seeking a raise in their current per diem should just come right out and say that they actually want a raise:
Democrat Sen. Reginald Tate wants to up the per diem to over $200.00 per day because he thinks the $161.00 is just not enough to cover a legislators daily expenses.
Lets lay out the facts shall we?
The per diem legislators get is just a straight payment. we are not expected to provide receipts for what we spend. If a legislator spends less then the $161.00 per day they get for per diem they put the extra in their pocket.
The Sheraton is right across the street from the capitol and is quite an expensive hotel. Other hotels probably less then 1 mile from the capitol can be had for about $50.00 per night. You only spend the night three of the four nights we are in session a week. That is $150.00 per week or one days per diem. Most legislators team up and rent an apartment for 6 months at a time. Myself and two other legislators are looking at apartments and houses now. The range is $860 to a little less then $1,200 per month. Cut three ways that is still less then $400.00 per month per person or 2-3 days of per diem per month.
Many legislators can and do live off the meals at receptions. I am not kidding when I say some days we have the choice of two or three breakfasts, two or three lunches and and three or four dinners every day for months at a time. I am not talking TV dinners either. The hosts put on the dog to get legislators to come. I will give a week or two at the beginning and end of session when the receptions dwindle and a legislators have to actually buy a meal or two. A legislator could get by on spending $300.00 or $400.00 per YEAR on food or less. Still for the sake of argument lets say the legislator is sick of prime rib and shrimp cocktail and wants to eat out when in Nashville. Lets say $15.00 per meal x 8 meals a week (that is dinner Monday night when we come in 3 meals a day Tuesday and Wednesday and breakfast before we leave on Thursday morning) x 4 weeks a month. That still totals out to under $500.00 per month or under 4 days per diem per month.
If you live in the Nashville area you can go home at night. You still get the per diem. A little math and you can see that most legislators can get by on as little as $500.00 per month up to an average/upscale side of 1,100.00 per month. Still less then 7 days per diem per month.
We are paid per diem a minimum of 16 days a month while in session Some legislators just love to come up to Nashville and milk it just for the per diem (See about any summer study committee for reference)
If you want a raise then just say you want more money. Don’t lie to the people and say you cant make it on what we get now.
Jan 15th, 2008
