Possible Repeal Is Just A Red Herring

Okay, now the state legislators are going to consider repealing the "unvouchered expense" provision which allowed them to immediately receive the 16 to 54% pay increase they had
clandestinely voted for in the wee hours of that July 7 morning. But folks, all that does is delay, not undo what they so obscenely did on that fateful morning. If this is an attempt to persuade the voters of Pennsylvania that these folks aren’t so bad and should be reelected, we cannot allow it to work. The fact is, they still get the grotesque pay increase even if the provision is repealed, it will just be later. As usual, the taxpayers lose no matter what happens, but I guess we should all be pretty used to that by now!
The pay increase itself is what should be repealed and we as taxpayers and voters should demand nothing less. Remember that the money was stolen from us to begin with. Do you know that even the legislators who didn’t vote for or take the pay increase, such as Representative Mauree Gingrich from the 101st district, did not get to give the money they would have gotten back to the people of their districts? No way folks, the money was just put into the state treasury. Interesting how quickly we are all forgotten when there is money left over as it were. Half the state senators and a little less than half of the House members did not take the raise which was allotted to them. Friends, that is not chump change. Since the money was already set aside for the pay increase, why couldn’t that money go back to the respective districts of the legislators who refused the raise? It could have been divided amongst the residents of the districts or used for improvements to public properties within those districts. No, we the people are nothing but cash cows for the elite politicians.
Now we learn about the significant tax breaks that state lawmakers enjoy. The $141.00 tax deduction for when they are in session or attending committee meetings. What about the so called "four day rule" which allows the same tax deduction for legislators when they are at home for a period of four days or less between legislative sessions. Then there is the lodging per diem for legislators living more than 50 miles from the Capitol and car payment and mileage reimbursements. Oh, I’m not done yet, the legislators receive fully paid health benefits for their family and themselves and fully paid life and disability insurance as well. And don’t forget their excellent pension plan.
Let me ask the reader, how many of you even have fully paid health benefits where you work? Most of us have to contribute to our health plan premiums through payroll deductions. Yet with all these benefits and allowances, our legislators have the unmitigated gall to demand a pay increase. If I had those kinds of benefits, I’d be willing to become a state legislator for a salary of $25.000. That’s right folks, I’d do the job for $25.000 per year with all the benefits and then I would work to have the entire tax system restructured.
Remember on election day that we cannot reelect any legislator that voted for the pay increase regardless of whether they repeal the "unvouchered expense" provision. Why, because these people have so little respect for us the taxpayers. The fact that they are so arrogant to believe that they deserve such royal treatment when they were elected to be public servants is repugnant and anathema to taxpayers. And the possible repealing of the provision is just an attempt to redeem them before the election.
Folks, don’t vote for any incumbent who said yes to the pay raise. When you go to the polls to vote on Tuesday, take some time to remind those going in to vote that they should "remember the pay raise"