Shaner: Pay-raise opposition cost committee post
State Rep. James Shaner (D-Dunbar) acknowledged Thursday that he lost his vice chairmanship of the finance committee because he didn’t vote for the recent legislative pay raise, and said he is upset about it. Shaner was one of 15 Democrats who was removed from their committee posts by state Minority Leader H. William “Bill” DeWeese (D-Waynesburg).
“The move was made because we didn’t vote for it (the pay raise),” Shaner said. “But my first responsibility isn’t to Harrisburg. I represent 63,000 people in Fayette and Westmoreland counties.”
A legislator for more than a decade, Shaner said when he first went to Harrisburg 11 years ago the leadership told him that his first responsibility was to his constituency. “I was told to vote my district,” Shaner said. “I have been voting my constituency but it’s not right that the leadership can take away chairmanships and vice chairmanships because we didn’t vote for a pay raise.”
However, DeWeese spokesman Tom Andrews said his boss made the moves more to reward Democrats who had requested different committee assignments than to punish any of their brethren who voted against the pay raise.
“This was no attempt to punish or exact any type of retribution,” said Andrews. “Members who voted ‘no’ said they were not going to take the unvouchered expenses – the money that would be available for the next 15 months – so they wouldn’t be missing out on anything (by this).”
Andrews said discussions about obtaining new committee assignments take place between DeWeese and members of the Democrat caucus all the time, and DeWeese simply viewed this as a good time to carry out some of those requests.
“(DeWeese) says, ‘I’ll see what I can do and how I can do it.’ He makes those attempts whenever possible. This is one of those cases where he felt he could make some changes,” said Andrews, who added, “Any member who supports legislation, by all means, they should expect that they would receive assignments they would be interested in, or would prefer to have. Rep. DeWeese, as a leader, is interested in helping those folks and not punishing anyone else.”
Before his demotion, Shaner was the vice chairman of the finance committee. He said in the past it took 16 years to reach the level of chairman. “Now the leadership can put anybody in as chairman and if you don’t do what you’re told, you can’t expect to get ahead,” Shaner said.
The pay raise legislation, passed in the middle of the night without public discussion, increased pay for the Legislature, row officers, senior executive branch appointees and judges by 16 percent to 34 percent.
According to the Associated Press, DeWeese announced the changes in a letter to House Speaker John M. Perzel (R-Philadelphia) last week.
Despite the move, Shaner said he would continue to vote for the people he represents. “I’ll continue to vote for the people. Maybe all representatives ought to be that way and vote for the people instead of themselves,” he said.
Shaner said the move doesn’t really matter to him because he will continue to do what he feels is right for the people who elect him, but he said he doesn’t agree with what happened. “I think it’s wrong. What they did is wrong,” Shaner said.
Shaner questioned why the Republicans didn’t make the same changes as the Democrats. “What are we, a bunch of school kids who can’t think for ourselves? It’s a darn shame,” Shaner said. “You see (from this) what happens here if you don’t do what you’re told.”
Shaner said he wasn’t aware that he would lose his vice chairmanship prior to the vote on the raise, which upped the legislator’ base pay from $69,647 to $81,050. Committee chairs and committee vice chairs receive an additional $4,050. Shaner said that before the raise, he did not receive compensation as a vice chairman.
Shaner said the party leaders have created a three-tier pay system. “It’s bad and we wonder why the Democratic Party is not in control anymore,” Shaner said. “It’s issues like this.”
Shaner added, “I’m a little upset about this but I am voting for my people regardless of if they take my chairmanship or not. And I’m sure that won’t be the end of the ramifications I will have to swallow.”
Shaner was the only local representative who voted against the raise to be demoted. Rep. Larry Roberts (D-South Union), who voted for the raise, was promoted to vice chairman of the financial services and banking subcommittee, while Tim Solobay (D-Eighty-Four) was promoted to vice chairman of the highways subcommittee.
Committee assignments are usually made at the beginning of a new session, not in the middle of the summer. Two other lawmakers who were demoted, Rep. Gregory Vitali (D-Delaware) and Rep. Robert Freeman (D-Northampton), also said they were being punished for not voting for the pay raise, according to the AP.
Andrews said, “This was no attempt to punish or exact an type of retributation. Members who voted no said they were not going to take the unvouchered expenses – the money that would be available for the next 15 months – so they wouldn’t be missing out on anything.”
Timing, “Any member who supports legislation, by all means, they should expect that if they would received assignments they would be interested in, or would prefer to have. Rep. DeWeese, as a leader, is interested in helping those folks and not punishing anyone else.”
Discussions happen al the time regarding committee assignments, “He says I’ll see wha t I can do and how I Can do it. He makes those attempts whenever possible. This is one of those cases where he felt he could make some changes.”