Overpaid Assembly aides cost Wisconsin taxpayers
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — One in five Wisconsin Assembly aides earn higher salaries than their positions are supposed to pay under a practice that costs taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars.
State records show 43 of the chamber’s roughly 220 legislative aides benefit from the practice that allows them to exceed maximum pay ranges for their positions. Thirteen of them earn at least $10,000 more than the high end.
Most of them are former aides to Assembly leaders who were allowed to keep their salaries after they switched to lower-ranking jobs. Their ranks swelled this year, when Democrats took control of the Assembly from Republicans for the first time since 1994.
The Assembly has kept the policy for more than 20 years, under leaders of both parties, despite concerns about the cost and questions about fairness.
Aug 16, 2009 at 10:47 p.m.
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Haven't anyone figured out why our state is in the Budget Crunch and in a deep hole right now? It is because of the politicians who get overpaid by the taxpayers- you and me!!!!!! Our elected officials do not get their jobs by WHAT they know, it is WHO they know to be elected as the politicians. The disgusting dogs of our government.
Aug 16, 2009 at 5:31 p.m.
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No, ms_sassy, please don't go.
Aug 16, 2009 at 2:03 p.m.
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thanks for the suggestion, hank. I just may.
Aug 16, 2009 at 8:37 a.m.
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Newsflash; Overpriced Governor Costs Wisconsin Taxpayers Millions of Dollars
Aug 16, 2009 at 6:33 a.m.
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They all have & will be over paid until we are the one's that say what they get paid & we all know that will not to be
Aug 15, 2009 at 6:56 p.m.
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What should NOT BE LEGAL is for our LAWMAKERS the ability to spend yours, my and the next door neighbor's money (paid by yours, my and the next door neighbor's taxes) as though they were pre-teenagers! Where is the oversight? Why can't anyone be trusted to do the "next right thing"? I'm becoming extremely pessimistic about this country.
Aug 15, 2009 at 1:48 p.m.
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It doesn't matter what their job description is. It's all about what they qualify for in regards to compensation. It looks pretty legal to me. What is not legal, is to recieve more unemployment compensation than what a person is qualified for.
Aug 15, 2009 at 1:45 p.m.
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And we wonder why the states and the country in whole are going bankrupt. Make them pay it back with intrest. NOW!!!!!
Aug 15, 2009 at 1:26 p.m.
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This is why we have elections, to vote these free wheeling big time spenders of tax payers money out of office. The problem is nobody names anybody. These 43 aides had a boss that needs to be retired in Nov. 2010 or the next time they are up for reelection. The 43 that took more than the job description paid needs to pay it back. If an unemployed worker on unemployment gets over paid, the state is all over that guy for repayment. This is an OUTRAGE!!!!!
Aug 15, 2009 at 1:23 p.m.
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Good for them. I presume most of them knew about this clause before taking the job. Who wouldn't take a job like this - get a demotion and keep the same pay. sweeeeeeeeeet........
Aug 15, 2009 at 1:18 p.m.
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Why does this not surprise me????
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