Contrite lawmakers seek pay raise repeal
HARRISBURG – It was a moment of sobering contrition as 10 lawmakers filed in front of television cameras in the ornate Capitol rotunda to atone for their pay raise sins. Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, R-Butler, called the vote on the 16 to 34 percent Legislative pay hike “the worst case of corruption I’ve seen” since entering office seven years ago.
Rep. Thomas Tangretti, D-Westmoreland, apologized for lawmakers’ silence on the vote in the wee morning hours of July 7: “It was wrong and I regret it.”
Rep. Gordon Denlinger, R-Lancaster, said he sees a “sea of change occurring” in the dynamics between rank and file members and party leadership: “There will be more direct questioning of leadership.”
A few recognized the media’s role in keeping in the issue alive. And Rep. Greg Vitali, D-Delaware, said “public opposition has to be sustained until at least the primary [election] so we can put members in general fear of losing their seats.”
The lawmakers’ rectitude came in the form of two bills they’ve just introduced in the House, which they believe have a strong chance of passing if only they come to the House floor for a vote.
One, brought by Vitali and Rep. Thomas Creighton, R-Lancaster, would repeal the entire pay raise, including all provisions for judges, the governor, cabinet secretaries, and district attorneys. As of Tuesday, it had 43 cosponsors.
The other, introduced by Rep. Paul Clymer, R-Bucks, and Rep. Will Gabig, R-Cumberland, would strike out the provision allowing midterm pay in the form of unvouchered expenses on the grounds it is unconstitutional for lawmakers to vote themselves a pay hike before voters have the chance to deem them worthy of it. That bill has 45 cosponsors.
In Fayette County, Rep. James Shaner, D-Dunbar, has signed on to the full repeal. He voted against the pay raise, but is taking the unvouchered expenses and says he’s donating it to charity.
Also, Rep. Jess Stairs, R-Acme, penned his name to the repeal of the midterm pay. Stairs voted against the pay raise, and initially took a nearly $20,000 pay hike in unvouchered expenses saying he would give it to charity, but then later renounced it.
The big question ahead is whether either of these bills will see the light of day, given leadership’s power over the legislative process and their eight-month, behind-the-scenes push for a pay raise.
For his part, Rendell said Monday he is “strongly in support” of a repeal of the unvouchered expenses because it is “unnecessary and possibly illegal.” But House and Senate leadership seem more intransigent.
After rebuffing reporters a couple weeks ago, saying he hadn’t heard of a repeal bill, House Speaker John Perzel, R-Philadelphia last weekend reiterated his support for the pay raise. He said the unvouchered expense repeal bill would need 102 supporters for a floor debate, the minimum needed for passage.
Cognizant of that fact, lawmakers say they’re working hard to get 102 so that leadership will take the bills seriously. Although the vast majority of cosponsors so far were the ones who voted against the pay raise, lawmakers leading the repeals say they also need a fair number of ‘yes’ voters on their side.
Another immediate question is to what House committee Perzel will assign the bills. A committee serves as a gatekeeper in determining how fast a bill sails onto to the House floor, or if at all. Rules Committee, which is controlled by leadership, could be a death knell. Supporters hope the bills are assigned to the House State Government Committee, chaired by Clymer.
Clymer said it’s imperative that the bills are handled quickly. Lawmakers say they can’t press forward on other issues with any credibility, such as property tax reform, with the pay raise hanging over their heads.
Clymer said he’d bring the bills up for discussion at the first Republican caucus session of the fall on Sept. 26: “At that time we’re going to see the discussion broadened.”
That’s the first day all lawmakers are back in session, and when public opposition groups are planning a massive lobbying effort. Busloads of constituents are expected to arrive and confront lawmakers one on one. A petition with more than 100,000 signatures collected by Harrisburg AM talk radio station WHP 580 will be presented. And a rock concert is also in the works, said Russ Diamond, leader of the citizen opposition group Operation Clean Sweep. The theme is “Repeal, Repay, Reform or Resign.”
Pennsylvania Common Cause Director Barry Kauffman said the two repeal bills are “a step in the right direction, but nobody gets a free pass.”
Even those who voted against the pay raise could have held up the vote procedurally, or opened a floor debate, he said.
“Clearly the prime responsibility lies with the governor’s office, the chief justice of the Supreme Court, and legislative leadership,” which all orchestrated the pay raise, he said. “But every legislator played a role in this.”
Alison Hawkes can be reached at 717-705-6330 or ahawkes@calkins-media.com