| Legislative
Bulletin |
December
18, 2001 |
 |
Special Report
House
Speaker Black comes out on top in legislative pay
 With
a total compensation for the year of $92,543, House Speaker
Jim Black ranks No. 1 in legislative pay, boosted by the
higher base pay and more generous perks that come with the
office. Senate President Marc Basnight comes in second in pay
at $87,908, mainly because Black claimed per diem for all
317days of the session while Basnight claimed 270 days.
The chart below shows total compensation for each of the eight
elected House and Senate leaders, who by virtue of their
positions earn more than the standard legislative base pay and
who receive other benefits.
The deputy speaker of the House and the deputy president pro
tem of the Senate earn base salaries of $21,739 a year, plus a
monthly office allowance of $836 ($10,032 a year). The
majority and minority leaders of both chambers earn base
salaries of $17,048 plus a monthly office allowance of $666
($7,992 a year).
Ninety-two of the 120 House members claimed the $104 per diem
for every day of the 317-day session. However, the House only
met 179 days during the year. Dividing the number of days the
House met to conduct business against the $32,465 average that
members claimed works out to about $181 a day for their work.
Not a single member of the Senate claimed the maximum per diem
amount; the highest was $28,808 claimed by several senators.
The average per diem claimed in the Senate was $27,156. The
Senate met 173 days this year; if Senate per diem were figured
on the actual number of days senators worked, it would be
about $154.
|
House and Senate Leadership
|
Base
Pay
|
Per
Diem
|
Travel
Expense
|
Office
Allowance
|
Total
Compensation
|
|
House Speaker Jim Black
|
$38,151
|
$32,968
|
$4,468.90
|
$16,956
|
$92,543.90
|
|
Senate Pres. Pro Tem Marc Basnight
|
$38,151
|
$28,080
|
$4,721.20
|
$16,956
|
$87,908.20
|
|
House Speaker Pro Tem Joe Hackney
|
$21,739
|
$31,928
|
$783.00
|
$10,032
|
$64,482.00
|
|
Senate Dpty. Pres. Pro Tem
Frank Balance
|
$21,739
|
$26,936
|
$1,299.20
|
$10,032
|
$60,006.20
|
|
House Majority Leader Phil Baddour
|
$17,048
|
$32,240
|
$1,435.50
|
$7,992
|
$58,715.50
|
|
House Minority Leader Leo Daughtry
|
$17,048
|
$32,968
|
$800.98
|
$7,992
|
$58,808.98
|
|
Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand
|
$17,048
|
$27,976
|
$1,748.70
|
$7,992
|
$54,764.70
|
|
Senate Minority Leader Patrick Ballantine
|
$17,048
|
$28,080
|
$3,509.00
|
$7,992
|
$56,629.00
|
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