Pay hike repeal gaining ground

Pay hike repeal gaining ground By Brad Bumsted STATE CAPITOL REPORTER Wednesday, September 14, 2005

HARRISBURG -- An emotional Rep. Tom Tangretti, who voted against the Legislature's self-approved pay hike and refused to take it early as the law allowed, apologized Tuesday to his constituents for not speaking out against the salary grab when it passed in early July.

"It was wrong, and I regret it very much," Tangretti, D-Greensburg, said at a news conference called by lawmakers pushing a repeal of the pay raise.

Not a single legislator spoke out against the pay bill as it was rammed through by legislative leaders.

Tangretti was the first known pay opponent to apologize to the public for maintaining silence.

Without debate or public scrutiny, the General Assembly in the early morning hours of July 7 approved legislation raising lawmakers' pay between 16 percent and 54 percent. The new base salary is $81,050, although the majority will make $85,193 or $89,942 depending on their rank. The two top leaders will be paid $145,553.

Tangretti was among 10 House members staging a news conference yesterday to push two bills: legislation to repeal the so-called unvouchered expenses -- a device that enables lawmakers to take the raise during this term -- and a separate bill that would repeal the legislative pay hike outright.

The use of unvouchered expenses allows legislators to take the raise now rather than wait -- as required by the state Constitution -- until after they are re-elected.

Clearly, those pushing repeal face a steep upward climb in the Legislature. House Speaker John Perzel, R-Philadelphia, in remarks to the Republican State Committee on Saturday, staunchly backed the pay hike and threw cold water on repeal efforts.

"If you're asking me if I'm ashamed of the members of the General Assembly who are now going to make half what Congress (makes), I am not," he said. "And if you're asking me whether or not I'm going back on the fight to repeal what we've done, I am not."

Asked by a reporter if he would allow floor debate on a repeal bill once the GOP-controlled Legislature reconvenes later this month, Perzel said, "not without 102 votes" -- a majority of the House.

There are 42 co-sponsors of the repeal bill. Seventy-nine House members voted against the pay bill, while 119 voted for it.

"Until we can do something about this pay raise, our credibility is at issue," said Rep. Mike Turzai, R-McCandless, who voted against it.

Meanwhile, Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, R-Cranberry, said the pay raise vote "represents the worst corruption I have seen in the past seven years." He was elected in 1998.

Taxpayers' dollars that go directly in lawmakers' pockets were used to "buy votes," Metcalfe said. House Minority Leader H. William DeWeese, D-Greene County, stripped 15 Democrats of their subcommittee chairmanships and vice chairmanships for voting against the bill.

That will cost them about $4,000 in annual salary. The extra salary goes to the new officers, who voted for the pay hike and were promoted by DeWeese.

Mike Manzo, DeWeese's chief of staff, said he would not dignify Metcalfe's comment with a response.

Metcalfe also cited what he considers to be collusion between the judiciary, Gov. Ed Rendell and legislative leaders to push through the pay hike bill, which also raised salaries for top state officials and judges. That "broke down the separation and balance of powers" intended to protect Pennsylvania taxpayers, he said.

The repeal bill is sponsored by Rep. Tom Creighton, R-Lancaster County, who voted for the pay hike and later renounced his vote.

Area lawmakers co-sponsoring the Creighton bill are: Tangretti, Metcalfe, Turzai, Rep. Brian Ellis, R-Butler County, Rep. Joseph Petrarca, D-Vandergrift, Rep. Jeff Pyle, R-Ford City, Rep. Dave Reed, R-Indiana, Rep. Chris Sainato, D-New Castle, Rep. Harry Readshaw, D-Carrick, Rep. Mike Diven, D-Brookline, Rep. Fred McIlhattan, R-Clarion, Rep. James Shaner, D-Dunbar, and Rep. Tony DeLuca, D-Penn Hills.

Co-sponsors of the bill repealing unvouchered expenses, sponsored by Rep. Will Gabig, R-Carlisle, include: Tangretti, Reed, Metcalfe, Turzai, Pyle, McIlhattan, Petrarca, Readshaw, Ellis and Rep. Jess Stairs, R-Acme, Rep. John Maher, R-Upper St. Clair, Rep. Mark Mustio, R-Moon and Rep. Marc Gergley, D-McKeesport.

Brad Bumsted can be reached at bbumsted@tribweb.com or (717) 787-1405. Source: http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/trib/regional/s_373957.html

Vice Chairman of Voter Education http://www.ycop.org http://groups.yahoo.com/group/YCOP/ http://www.InformedPA.com