California: budget deficit, furloughs, pay cuts, core services reductions...and $430K in pay raises

In budget crisis, some Calif. staffers got raise
Some lawmakers gave raises to their employees despite growing deficit

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32449721/ns/us_news-life/

By JULIET WILLIAMS
updated 11:35 a.m. PT, Mon., Aug 17, 2009

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Against a backdrop of deep fiscal distress, several California lawmakers rewarded their employees with pay hikes during the first half of the year, an Associated Press review of legislative pay records showed.

At least 87 California Assembly staff members received raises totaling more than $430,000 on an annualized basis, even as the state faced a growing budget deficit that led to furloughs and pay cuts for many other government workers and steep reductions in core services.

The review of records obtained under the state Legislative Open Records Act found that salary bumps went to three employees in the office of Assembly Speaker Karen Bass, the Los Angeles Democrat who leads the 80-member chamber, and three to staff members of the Democratic caucus she oversees.

In the 40-member Senate, nine staffers had a boost in pay, leading to an annualized increase of $152,000.