ASSEMBLYMEMBER KAREN BASS
47TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT
For Immediate Release: October 23, 2008
Contact: Pablo Espinoza
Phone: (916) 319-2408

SACRAMENTO – Speaker Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles) today issued the following statement after the Claims Board made a regular adjustment to legislative per diem rates:

“In 1990 California voters took legislative salaries out of the legislature's hands. For decades legislative per diem has also been out of the legislature’s hands and tied to federal rates set by the General Services Administration. Today’s action by the Claims Board, which does not include any legislators, follows that requirement. I know voters were frustrated over per diem during the budget delay, and I am hopeful that frustration can be harnessed to do some good and help end the 2/3 budget vote requirement that allows the state to be held hostage and the budget to be delayed in the first place.”

Because of the economic downturn facing the country and the state Speaker Bass will not accept the increase.

Click onto the following link to visit the website of Assembly Speaker Karen Bass: www.asm.ca.gov/speaker