A couple years ago, we raised legislator pay 90%, in the hope that better pay would lead to better legislating. That hasn’t happened yet, but we’ll see what happens in a couple weeks at the polls.
Whomever voters reward next next Tuesday will receive 5.8% more than the current batch of legislators. The Board of Finance met Tuesday and said that South Dakota’s median household income has risen to $64,255. By law, legislators get one fifth of that per year:
South Dakota’s 105 legislators will be paid $12,580.80 apiece for the 2021 session, the state Board of Finance said Tuesday.
…Legislators received $11,378.80 apiece for the 2019 session and $11,892.40 for the 2020 session. Prior to the 2018 law taking effect for the 2019 session, a lawmaker received $6,000 per session [Bob Mercer, “Salaries of S.D. Legislators Set for 2021,” KELO-TV, updated 2020.10.21].
Legislators’ per diem will remain at $151. Multiply by 37 working days, and that’s another $5,587… which if legislators show some good gosh darn sense and conduct Session remotely instead of driving out to Pierre and crowding the motels and lobbies with coronavirus droplets would be enough to buy a really nice 27-inch iMac for 1080p videoconferencing and displaying multiple documents.
1.1 million more unemployed in the United States. Grifting legislators need to pay it back. Why should they be paid for screwing us with the misappropriations of taxpayer money given for vanity projects for their queen bee. $151.00 bucks a day, for what? 151 more reasons why Zoom would be money well spent to disperse that per diem money to food banks and heating costs for the poor and unemployed. Legislators don’t deserve this while they do nothing but party on with it. Get that party on money from ALEC, they know the number to call.
$151 per diem? I noticed my paltry 1.3% SS cola has already vanished in the autumn mist with a $21 monthly hike in BC/BS drug plan. 2 years ago I lost almost $3 from my monthly check. Last year I gained a whole $1.90 per month.
I would love to try to survive on a $151 per day. I’m done ranting now.
They should double it and then they would be able to get some quality people in Pierre. Who wants to work for pennies? Boy, SD is sure one of the cheapest states I know.
About $17,400 for 37 days, salary and per diem, $470 per day, 8 hr days close to ,$60 per hour, sounds like a lot to rubber stamp the Gov on Covid relief and her state budget!
$151 a day buys a lot of gravy taters, especially when every lunch and dinner is free.
Discourages lifer politicians-was the theory. The payoff is in the connections-experience to go on and make a better life-or public contribution in retirement. Then Phil Jensen moved in from out of state to game the simpletons. Lust eTc created a wealth industry to milk, rather than work. Watch Meryl Streep’s LAUNDROMAT.
Many many other Republican examples. No free lunches. Republican legislators are owned property.
I don’t know if I should just call them conservatives? And myself a liberal, a progressive? Politics is such a greasy game.
No rules, just norms, and certainly no common sense. Word games.
But mfi, you more than make up for it here with your accurate daily observations.
Since Grubby Greasy’s ascendancy in 2017, the GOP has surrendered their conservative principles. Now it is wholly a fascist party with no other platform or principles at all. They’ve been quite clear about that. Genuine conservatives are well aware of the shift, hence their departure.
A couple of thoughts
First, we need to change the law that requires the payment of per diem even when there’s remote attendance. That’s an easy, obvious, and new issue to fix
Second, dividing the salary by only the days in session ignores the responsibilities and expectations for the other 300+ days when we expect legislators to be engaged. Not complaining about pay (it was $3k a year when I started), but the per hour or day math is misleading
Sen Schoenbeck, You’re on the right trail with the “first” should be an easy fix…but will it.
The second one is also true, as an elected official, the job is year round. Speaking for myself, I don’t begrudge that payment for the work that needs to be done. I also think that even more could be done remotely. To me there is a great expense to the taxpayer just by your mere presence in Pierre for session. On a plus side, the sessions could be monitored by taxpayers “on mute” to see how their government actually makes sausage. What better way of involvement than that.
Good news too! South Dakota Legislators can continue to sit on their hands and do nothing about Medicaid Expansion as a Biden win will put the public option back in the newly rebranded ACA/Obamacare, how about that? Booyah!!
Sen. Schoenbeck, one more thing to work on. Make digital learning more accessible to all of South Dakota. Our students as well as all of our citizens need access to fast service so access to Zoom can be used to educate. Thanks, oh, and work on getting the rail service for economic development, make city’s like Lily proud again..
Mr. jerry. You can already monitor Mr. Schoenbeck and his fellows during their session, “on mute.”