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Joe_Battenfeld's Blog

by Joe_Battenfeld from Dedham, MA

Last Post 5 days, 19 hours Ago


Do you think the Governor, other elected officials and judges deserve big pay raises?

No, that was not a joke question. Believe it or not, a panel created by the Legislature has come to the shocking conclusion that they are really, really underpaid. Especially Speaker Sal DiMasi and Senate President Therese Murray, who would get 70 percent pay hikes under this panel's plan - all the way to 160K a year!

Talk about bad timing. With more and more people losing their homes, and losing their jobs, can you believe that the Legislature and Governor even called for a study on whether they're underpaid? This panel should have shut down when it became clear we were in a recession and budget crisis.

Wisely, the Governor and Speaker are running away from this plan - check out my story on it and let me know what you think. I'm sure there's someone out there who thinks our state officials are underpaid. Someone? Anyone?

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Member Comments Total Comments: 21
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sirB read my blog
Jun 20, 2008 | 8:07 PM

Yeah, me. I think EVERYONE on the hill deserves whopping pay raises. It's not like this state pisses away money foolishly all the time. Reach in the till and spend a little money Massachusetts! Hell, you can't take it with you. While you're at it, throw some more dough at all those state troopers standing on the side of the highway staring of into space, or reading the paper. They deserve it too!

TheEliteOne read my blog
Jun 20, 2008 | 8:24 PM

It is the only way to attract talented people to the public office. Especially on the local level, the abuse the public officals take is too much. There was an oversight meeting in Quincy last week which became very abusive. Any young people watching this would be easily turned off from the public life.

160k a year is nothing. The Gov. made more than this for sitting on the board of Reebok.

legendkiller34 read my blog
Jun 22, 2008 | 4:18 PM

Joe,
even though they came "running out " and
denied wanting the money, the very next day
in the paper it said" The Mass Pike wants $100 million to do something.
So while they told us they wouldn't take the pay raise, in one way or another they will get this raise, meanwhile people like us ,the hard working under paid will continue to loose everything we have tried to build.

Happyg read my blog
Jun 22, 2008 | 9:14 PM

Politics were never meant to be a career. Only one's duty to country. That must be where you got confused.


TheEliteOne
Jun 20, 2008 | 8:24 PM It is the only way to attract talented people to the public office.

BostonVT
Jun 23, 2008 | 4:53 AM

If they feel so underpaid why not replace them with someone requiring less pay who will appreciate the position instead of whining because they are making 100K+ doing nothing if they were doing there job Massachusetts would run a lot better. When you spend 25k on curtains for your office I can see why you would want to make more. Governer live within your means and you could survive off of 100K+. The average Ma. resident makes 25K a year. Wonder how we all do it and we can not ask for pay increases. I wish a overhaul of our state would happen. Mayor Menino can't talk, Governer Patrick is busy off buying curtains and the others have the heads in the clouds. If we are so liberal and such a great state get real people into office and give us a chance if not soon we will be in a recession but this affects only the 25K earnings bracket so why would politicians care look what they are doing on the clock whining over making 100K+. I wish that was my only problem. Your job performance is horrible but you want a raise. Joe keep up the good job I love to watch your interviews with Mumbles crack me up....

Chip read my blog view my photos
Jun 23, 2008 | 6:01 AM

And when you were making fun of Duh-val's opponent, you didn't expect this Joe? If I remember correctly, Kerry Healy (and Mitt Romney) DIDN'T TAKE ANY SALARY.

Another foul ball for our Political Editor...

NorthernObserver read my blog
Jun 23, 2008 | 9:16 AM

Elected officials should have their pay raised by the same percentage that they lower the tax rate on the tax payer. The inverse should also be true. They should loose pay based on the percentage that they raise taxes.

Make that a referendum issue on the next ballot!

ahumbleman read my blog view my photos
Jun 23, 2008 | 9:45 AM

We need a part-time legislature, similar to New Hampshire, just like the founding fathers intended it.

tem123 read my blog
Jun 23, 2008 | 2:04 PM

A part time legislature? How about the Texas model where the legislature ONLY meets 150 days unless the Governor calls a special session. For example, the Texas legislature met last year for the 150 years and the rest of the time they had to do their real job.
Why should any state legislature make around the same money that the federal legislature makes? And Represenative DiMasi is pleading for more taxes in Massachusetts? He and all the others should take a 50 percent pay cut and you wouldn't need more taxes!

TheEliteOne read my blog
Jun 23, 2008 | 6:30 PM

I though it was already part time?

Chip read my blog view my photos
Jun 24, 2008 | 6:29 AM

Chris,

Part time and volunteer? travel expenses and no salary?

ahumbleman read my blog view my photos
Jun 24, 2008 | 8:36 AM

I think they should still get some salary, it shouldn't be completely volunteer.

Happyg read my blog
Jun 24, 2008 | 1:40 PM

You must be from NH. Our legislature doesn't respond to public referendums. Been there, done that. They decided the voters don't know sh!t. And they still get elected. Go figure!!!


NorthernObserver
Make that a referendum issue on the next ballot!

Jakethecat view my photos
Jun 25, 2008 | 7:53 AM

I say, go for it! Anything that is going to shed a negative light on cadillac Deval, DO IT! Just as long as we know where the extra $$ will be coming from, and I hope it's juicy! No skin off my nose. Maybe then a few people will realize that republicans, especially conservative ones, are fiscally responsible. What's it gonna take???

herbdaniels read my blog
Jun 28, 2008 | 10:24 PM

I agree that you need to compensate these people at higher rates to attract better quality talent.

I think the term limits needs to be part of the deal.

They should have the ability to save us many more millions, and therefore, be worth it.....You get what you pay for, if you want to pay garbage, you will attract the very amateurs we have who cannot even write a simple law without wacky unintended side effects.

nomorehacks read my blog view my photos
Jun 29, 2008 | 9:37 AM

The higher the salaries, the fatter the pensions become. There are plenty of GOOD people that will work for les than the government cult is robbing us for on a daily basis.

heatherfont read my blog view my photos
Jun 30, 2008 | 9:59 AM

Elite one,

"It is the only way to attract talented people to the public office."

It seems to me that dedicated, talented people join our armed forces every day and aren't exactly highly paid. It's SUPPOSED to be about a desire to SERVE, not BE SERVED.
Public office = public service. This is all about power and money, and not at all about the good of the people that pay the bills.

TheRealAmerican read my blog
Jul 10, 2008 | 8:18 PM

As Chip stated, Mitt Romney and Kerry Healy did not ACCEPT a paycheck. Should the position COME with a salary? Hell yeah. However, it is ADMIRABLE when the person who takes the post decliones the salary if they are already OBSCENELY wealthy. I guess limousine liberals like Patrick have no problem in preaching about helping people and then adding to their already bursting bank accounts.

All this from a guy who either naively or duplicitously tries to tell people the answer to their fears about the upcoming winter and heating oil prices is to get an "energy audit". I got one last year and it cost me a $10,000 BANK LOAN to make the suggested upgrades (like replacing a 50 year old furnace). I STILL don't have an extra $2,000 for oil this winter but don't qualify for "assistance".

Hmmm, maybe Deval will give me some extra cash he doesn't need?!? Nah, didn't think so...

tem123 read my blog
Jul 12, 2008 | 5:50 PM

Too much money given to the Governor will make him think he should be President...after all the President of our nation doesn't make much more than the proposed $175,000 a year that the governor wants from the state.
I thought Massachusetts was facing a budget crunch? Guess its not that bad if they want to do that.

ldance321
Jul 20, 2008 | 1:34 PM

If the Governor and the rest of them are so underpaid why dont they take there big raises and put it toward the Big Dig fiasco. And another thing if were in a recession which we are there going to put us even more in one.I think our Governor should be more concerned with people losing the jobs,homes, there utilities and worry about pay raises later. What a state.

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Joe_Battenfeld

FOX25 Political Editor

Member Since: 9/19/2006