Pennsylvania's legislative payroll is on the increase
According to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, the Pennsylvania General Assembly's payroll has grown by 22 percent over the past six years, and the number of staffers making triple-figure salaries rose from 36 in 2005 to 69 this year. Pennsylvania was the only state to experience legislative staff growth in the 1996-2009 period, making the General Assembly one of the largest full-time state legislatures in the nation.
Additionally, the executive director of the House Appropriations Committee was found to earn $14,000 more than Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett, meaning he is the state's highest-paid staffer. Legislative leaders say that they have made efforts to stem salary increases and trim staff through attrition and hiring freezes. However, Former House Speaker John Perzel (R-Philadelphia) defended key aides' high salaries, saying that lawmakers rely on them to assist with complex analysis of issues such as budgetary matters.
A 2009 study by the National Conference of State Legislatures ranked Pennsylvania's legislative branch second in total spending, per capita spending and spending as a percentage of general government operations, according to the Allentown Morning Call.
Additionally, the executive director of the House Appropriations Committee was found to earn $14,000 more than Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett, meaning he is the state's highest-paid staffer. Legislative leaders say that they have made efforts to stem salary increases and trim staff through attrition and hiring freezes. However, Former House Speaker John Perzel (R-Philadelphia) defended key aides' high salaries, saying that lawmakers rely on them to assist with complex analysis of issues such as budgetary matters.
A 2009 study by the National Conference of State Legislatures ranked Pennsylvania's legislative branch second in total spending, per capita spending and spending as a percentage of general government operations, according to the Allentown Morning Call.
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