For Immediate Release:
Date: 7/18/2005
For more information contact:

Doug Leard (Media Relations Chair) at 215-646-1502
David Jahn (Chair) at 610-461-7755

Legislature's Pay Raise

They work hard for OUR money!

At least that is what many legislators are saying to justify their votes to raise their own salaries. But many taxpayers are asking what our already well-paid lawmakers actually accomplish to deserve such a large salary increase.

Did Governor Rendell and the members of the General Assembly solve the problem of ever-rising school property taxes? No! They promised tax relief for property owners with Act 72. But as soon as Act 72 died (except for the part where slot machines would be allowed throughout the state) our elected leaders forgot about taxpayers and moved on to more important business -- voting themselves a BIG pay raise!

By increasing their own salaries from $69,647 to $81,000 -- a whopping 16 percent increase! -- our representatives are not only showing how out of touch they are with reality, but they are also showing just how little they really care about the people they are suppose to represent.

And just when you thought it couldn't get worse, it does! Our legislators made sure to include a provision that would automatically increase their salaries every time members of Congress get a raise!

The legislature has voted itself a pay raise at a time when many people cannot find decent paying jobs, when many senior citizens can no longer afford medications, when doctors find medical malpractice insurance unaffordable, when many retirees are losing their pensions and rising tax burdens are more than many can bear. A raise at this time is unconscionable. If there are any honorable men or women left in the General Assembly they would act to correct this wrong.

On behalf of Pennsylvania's taxpayers, the Libertarian Party calls for someone in the General Assembly to show some political courage, step forward and immediately introduce legislation that would nullify these outrageous pay increases!

The Libertarian Party is the third largest political party in the United States with over 600 officials serving in office throughout the nation. Please visit www.LP.org or www.LPPA.org for more information on the Libertarian Party.

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