Wisconsin legislators earn nearly $50,000 per year
MADISON, Wis. (AP) The candidates who win seats in the Wisconsin Legislature on Tuesday will become among the nation's best-paid lawmakers.
Wisconsin's legislators earn nearly $50,000 per year.
A Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance study done last year found lawmakers in only eight states earned more.
But, that's partly because Wisconsin is one of 10 states with a full-time legislature. In most states, lawmakers work part-time and often hold other jobs as well.
The executive director of the watchdog group Wisconsin Democracy Campaign says the switch to a full-time Legislature hasn't been good for the state. Mike McCabe says it has resulted in partisan gridlock and lawmakers spending too much time raising money to run for re-election.
Oct 30, 2008 at 11:21 p.m.
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$50,000 per year doesn't sound that unreasonable to be honest, for full time work. Granted, WI needs to make cuts, but I'm not sure too many would line up for those jobs at $35,000 per year. I wouldn't want the headache, considering almost automatically after taking the job half the people in the state hate you. I say WI should put a toll booth right at the WI/IL state border. That would balance our budget in a few weeks.
Oct 30, 2008 at 10:01 p.m.
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Long_time_Gone. At least the republicans have brains.
Oct 30, 2008 at 1:07 p.m.
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Janesvillean - the legislature works from Feb to July, every odd numbered year, for budget session. Everything else is fiddle time.
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Millionares run for the US Senate (Herb) not the state legislature.
Oct 30, 2008 at 12:24 p.m.
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Yet another reform that the Republican majorities in the state legislature, especially when Tommy ruled the East Wing, failed to pursue - returning WI to a part-time legislature.
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Republicans went brain dead on so many issues, no wonder they are on the brink of minority status, and nearly irrelevent.
Oct 30, 2008 at 12:21 p.m.
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If the job is full-time, the pay should be full-time, otherwise only millionaires can afford to run.
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