Some legislators still getting paid during government shutdown
2011-07-18
By Kurt Menk
Editor
Minnesota’s government shutdown entered its 13th day on Wednesday, July 13 and most legislators were still collecting paychecks despite the ongoing budget impasse.
Governor Mark Dayton and 62 of the 201 lawmakers have declined to accept their paychecks during the government shutdown.
In the House of Representatives, 28 Democrats and 20 Republicans have decided not to receive their paychecks in July.
In the Senate, three Democrats and 11 Republicans have also elected to have their payments deferred.
Dayton is paid $120,303 annually while legislators are paid around $31,000 a year for what is considered a part-time job because the legislature is only in session for half the year.
For some legislators, it is their only job. Other lawmakers hold jobs outside the legislature. The agreement each legislator made pertains only to July. If the government shutdown does last longer, each legislator can change the arrangement they have made regarding payment.
State Representative Glenn Gruenhagen (R-Glencoe) has decided to receive the base salary in July.
“I plan to donate it to food shelves and district charities,” said Gruenhagen. “If the shutdown continues past July, I am considering refusing pay in August although I believe the charities will spend it on the real needs of people better than government.”
State Senator Al DeKruif (R-Elysian) has also decided to receive the base salary this month.
“First of all, the Republican majorities in the House and the Senate did our jobs,” said DeKruif. “We passed a balanced budget, lived within our means with a generous six percent increase in spending. At a time when Minnesota and the nation are trying to grow our way out of a recession, this is all our state can afford and a tax increase would slow our growth and Minnesota’s opportunity to position ourselves to compete in the national and international economy. The Republicans in the House and Senate are still working to find a solution while many state workers will be laid off (not by their choice but still most will be drawing unemployment).”
DeKruif continued, “My belief is that the state shutdown should never have happened and would not have been necessary had the governor came to the table to negotiate with the majority party before the shutdown. After the shutdown it became very clear to me that this shutdown was planned by Governor Dayton and the DFL leadership in the House and Senate for months.”
DeKruif further continued, “Look at who lost the most power. I would say the former majority leader in the State Senate, Larry Pogemiller, who lost the majority in the
Legislators Senate during his watch. The DFL held the majority in the State Senate for 38 years and losing it was a major blow to the DFL and Senator Pogemiller. There are direct ties between Governor Dayton and the senator through Michele Kelm-Helgen who is the Governor’s Deputy Chief of Staff and is very involved in day to day negotiations on the budget. Michele was former Majority Leader Pogemiller’s Chief of Staff. I come to the conclusion that Senator Pogemiller has more to gain and more to do with the state government being shut down than I do. I have stated publicly that during the state shutdown, and even though I am still working, I will refuse to take per diem and will base whether or not I receive my salary during this time on whether Senator Larry Pogemiller takes his. I have sent this reply to the Secretary of the Senate so my position will go into effect automatically if Pogemiller chooses to not take his pay.”
DeKruif added, “One last point I’d like to make is, the Senate Republican majority leaders were close to a deal with the governor at one point. When the governor stepped out of the room and met with DFL minority leaders Senator Thomas Bakk and Representative Paul Thissen and came back into the room a few minutes later, he pulled that proposal from the table. This proposal included trying to make a deal that didn’t include tax increases.
DeKruif said it will be up to the DFL leaders in the House and Senate and the governor to decide “when they have inflicted enough pain on the people of Minnesota before they end this shutdown.”
“Their plan is to inflict maximum pain for their political gain, and blame this shutdown on the Republicans, in order to win back the majority in the Legislature in 2012,” said DeKruif. “I would ask, governor call us back and end this madness.”
Editor
Minnesota’s government shutdown entered its 13th day on Wednesday, July 13 and most legislators were still collecting paychecks despite the ongoing budget impasse.
Governor Mark Dayton and 62 of the 201 lawmakers have declined to accept their paychecks during the government shutdown.
In the House of Representatives, 28 Democrats and 20 Republicans have decided not to receive their paychecks in July.
In the Senate, three Democrats and 11 Republicans have also elected to have their payments deferred.
Dayton is paid $120,303 annually while legislators are paid around $31,000 a year for what is considered a part-time job because the legislature is only in session for half the year.
For some legislators, it is their only job. Other lawmakers hold jobs outside the legislature. The agreement each legislator made pertains only to July. If the government shutdown does last longer, each legislator can change the arrangement they have made regarding payment.
State Representative Glenn Gruenhagen (R-Glencoe) has decided to receive the base salary in July.
“I plan to donate it to food shelves and district charities,” said Gruenhagen. “If the shutdown continues past July, I am considering refusing pay in August although I believe the charities will spend it on the real needs of people better than government.”
State Senator Al DeKruif (R-Elysian) has also decided to receive the base salary this month.
“First of all, the Republican majorities in the House and the Senate did our jobs,” said DeKruif. “We passed a balanced budget, lived within our means with a generous six percent increase in spending. At a time when Minnesota and the nation are trying to grow our way out of a recession, this is all our state can afford and a tax increase would slow our growth and Minnesota’s opportunity to position ourselves to compete in the national and international economy. The Republicans in the House and Senate are still working to find a solution while many state workers will be laid off (not by their choice but still most will be drawing unemployment).”
DeKruif continued, “My belief is that the state shutdown should never have happened and would not have been necessary had the governor came to the table to negotiate with the majority party before the shutdown. After the shutdown it became very clear to me that this shutdown was planned by Governor Dayton and the DFL leadership in the House and Senate for months.”
DeKruif further continued, “Look at who lost the most power. I would say the former majority leader in the State Senate, Larry Pogemiller, who lost the majority in the
Legislators Senate during his watch. The DFL held the majority in the State Senate for 38 years and losing it was a major blow to the DFL and Senator Pogemiller. There are direct ties between Governor Dayton and the senator through Michele Kelm-Helgen who is the Governor’s Deputy Chief of Staff and is very involved in day to day negotiations on the budget. Michele was former Majority Leader Pogemiller’s Chief of Staff. I come to the conclusion that Senator Pogemiller has more to gain and more to do with the state government being shut down than I do. I have stated publicly that during the state shutdown, and even though I am still working, I will refuse to take per diem and will base whether or not I receive my salary during this time on whether Senator Larry Pogemiller takes his. I have sent this reply to the Secretary of the Senate so my position will go into effect automatically if Pogemiller chooses to not take his pay.”
DeKruif added, “One last point I’d like to make is, the Senate Republican majority leaders were close to a deal with the governor at one point. When the governor stepped out of the room and met with DFL minority leaders Senator Thomas Bakk and Representative Paul Thissen and came back into the room a few minutes later, he pulled that proposal from the table. This proposal included trying to make a deal that didn’t include tax increases.
DeKruif said it will be up to the DFL leaders in the House and Senate and the governor to decide “when they have inflicted enough pain on the people of Minnesota before they end this shutdown.”
“Their plan is to inflict maximum pain for their political gain, and blame this shutdown on the Republicans, in order to win back the majority in the Legislature in 2012,” said DeKruif. “I would ask, governor call us back and end this madness.”
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