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http://www.readingeagle.com/re/news/1454085.asp

PAY RAISE DEAD
By Kori Walter
Reading Eagle

HARRISBURG The legislative pay hike born in the middle of the night more than four months ago died just after noon Wednesday.
The state Senate issued the equivalent of a death certificate, voting unanimously to repeal the unpopular raises rammed through the Legislature without debate on July 7.

Senate Majority Leader David J. “Chip” Brightbill apologized to constituents and Republican senators for using poor judgment in supporting the pay-raise bill in July.

“You all trusted me to exercise good judgment,” said Brightbill, a Lebanon County Republican who represents part of Berks. “I did not, and I am sorry.”

Gov. Ed Rendell quickly signed the repeal bill, which also rolls back pay raises for the governor, members of his Cabinet and judges.

Rendell did not talk to reporters, but issued a statement acknowledging that four months of unrelenting criticism from constituents forced the Legislature to repeal the raises.

“I urge the Legislature to return to the people's business and hope that by signing this bill we can channel the great interest and energy that was focused on this issue for the good of the citizens we serve,” Rendell said.

While the repeal forces lawmakers to give up raises that ranged from 16 percent to 54 percent, their paychecks will get fatter in December.

That's because the bill signed into law Wednesday reinstated the cost-of-living adjustments for all three branches of government that had been included in the previous salary law.

The increase will be 3.6 percent, according to the state Department of Labor.

The minimum salary for lawmakers will be $74,104 per year, with legislative leaders receiving additional pay.

The repeal does not require lawmakers to return the portion of the pay raises they already have collected through a process known as unvouchered expenses.

About half of the 253 state lawmakers have been collecting unvouchered expenses since August.

Brightbill and some other members of the Berks delegation said they will return the unvouchered expenses, which the state considers taxable income.

“It's a personal decision that my wife and I made,” Brightbill said of his decision to return roughly $11,000 in unvouchered expenses. “It's perfectly legal to keep the money, but we just decided not to.”

Senate Minority Whip Michael A. O'Pake and state Rep. Thomas R. Caltagirone said they donated their unvouchered expenses to charities.

But the two, both Reading Democrats, said they will repay the money.

O'Pake said he received more than $10,000 and Caltagirone reported getting roughly $4,400.

“I don't want to look like a pig and keep this money for myself,” Caltagirone said. “I felt returning the money was the honorable thing to do.”