From Stark
Getting into the spirit of budgetary austerity, 40th District Democratic State Rep. Jeff Morris has announced he has chosen to forgo the daily expense money that he and all legislators were entitled to collect during the recently concluded special session of the Legislature.
The expense money is known as “per diem.”
Here’s the press release from Morris:
OLYMPIA- As special session comes to a close in Olympia, Representative Jeff Morris (D-Mount Vernon) has volunteered to forego his per diem allowance. Rep. Morris will pay for his own expenses. This will save the House of Representatives and taxpayers $1,710.
“It’s no secret that times are incredibly challenging in our state. When we are asking our state employees to tighten their belts, it is important that we lead by example” said Rep. Morris.
Since the Washington State Legislature operates on a part-time basis, citizen legislators are given a daily allowance for housing and meals at $90 per day when the Legislature is in session. In comparison, the federal government allowance is $149 per day for the Olympia area.
End press release
Government standards of what it costs to do something are too often disproportionate to reality.
$149? or even $90?
The Feds are really overshooting at $149. When I go to Olympia for legislative matters, I stay at the Motel 6 for $40, eat $6 mcDonalds breakfast, $9 lunch, and $14 dinner. That’s $70 when I do it. So that would be $1350 not $1710 for myself.
Salute to Rep. Morris for cutting the budget starting with himself.
FYI – from the Motel 6 website
The Motel 6 of Olympia and Tumwater offers budget-friendly rooms starting at $74.99 per night as of March 2010.