After reading my column last week touting historic preservation of the existing California Capitol Annex rather than the current billion-dollar raze-and-rebuild vanity scheme, a reader challenged me to champion something he probably thought I never would.
“Mr. Wilson, Here’s an old idea that needs new life,” wrote Arnold Gregg.
“How about returning California to a part-time Legislature? The return would be fewer frivolous laws, less office space and a savings to taxpayers. You could champion this in your columns.”
“totally agree good idea cheers lw” I replied, in that no-doubt overly casual style I affect on Monday mornings when replying to reader mail. Probably could have knocked Mr. Gregg over with a feather.
But I’ve been for a part-time California Legislature ever since I began writing newspaper columns — which I find by counting on my fingers is 35 years.
I just haven’t touted the idea lately. Because here it’s akin to tilting at windmills. But it doesn’t hurt to take another joust at it. ‘Cause miracles do happen, babe.
In making the ridiculously-easy-to-make argument for having citizens with real jobs rather than professional politicians representing us in Sacramento, it’s best to first point to what may be for Californians a startling fact: Our state is among a tiny minority of states that do elect full-timers to serve in the state Capitol.
Depending on how you count what “full-time” means, at most 10 American states have full-time legislatures, which means that 40 do not.
One of the slightly different counts comes from Indivisible, the liberal activist group: “Believe it or not, only nine states have full-time legislatures — California, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, Alaska, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Ohio, and Wisconsin. The rest of the states meet part-time with some states like Montana, Nevada, Texas, North Dakota only meeting in odd-numbered years.”
You’ll note right off that it’s an interesting mix. Sure, some of the largest and most progressive states like our own are among the full-timers. But Ohio, Wisconsin and Alaska often trend red — and while the odd-numbered ones are all Western and greatly rural, Nevada often trends blue.
The National Conference of State Legislatures analyzes the national mix as having only four truly always-there bodies — “Full-time, well paid, large staff” — with six others being “Full-time Lite,” with members being paid an average of about $42,000 annually rather than an average of $82,000 annually. California Assembly and state Senate members make $120,000 a year — before their per diems.
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The truly part-time pols get an average of $18,500 a year, which means they have to have, well, real jobs. New Hampshire reps make $100 a year, plus a per diem.
New Mexico reps get only per diem — which, considering the capital is fancy Santa Fe, I hope is high, otherwise no enchiladas de mole for you, Mr. and Mrs. elected Leg.
Doesn’t this create a situation in which only people with flexible jobs — I don’t know, large-animal veterinarians, self-employed CPAs, sole-proprietor lawyers, successful novelists — can afford to serve in our state legislatures?
Why, yes it does. I don’t know that the guarantee of big bucks for a select group of people who bounce from the Legislature to county supervisor seats to cushy state boards their entire careers is part of the promise of our democracy.
Cranky enough for you? OK, how about this one: Yes, I also agree that for every law state “lawmakers” pass, they ought to repeal one. Actually, they ought to repeal five.
Larry Wilson is on the Southern California News Group editorial board. lwilson@scng.com.