The chairman of the California commission that sets legislative pay supports another reduction in salaries and benefits, which would mark the second consecutive year of targeting lawmakers' pocketbooks.
"I'm going to vote for it, as long as it's not punitive," Chuck Murray, chairman of the California Citizens Compensation Committee, said of a pay cut.
Murray said a previous proposal to cut legislators' $95,291 annual pay and their benefits by 10 percent remains on the table from April, although he said the percentage could rise or fall before a final vote Wednesday.
Murray said he also will propose adopting a monthly cap on state vehicle costs for legislators.
The Assembly now pays a maximum of 90 percent of a vehicle's lease costs up to $328 per month, while the Senate pays 90 percent of the monthly costs up to $410, with totals varying based on lease lengths and vehicle type. Legislators pay any costs above those maximums.
Gas and vehicle repairs are provided free to legislators, and the state subsidizes their insurance for business-related travel but requires them to maintain a personal policy for non-business driving.
Murray said he will propose that the state pay a specified monthly amount per legislator, allowing each to decide how best to allocate that sum for lease, gas, repair and insurance expenses. He declined to elaborate on the amount.
Last year, the commission slashed by 18 percent lawmakers' pay, benefits, and their per-diem payments that offset living expenses while in Sacramento. Pay was cut from $116,208 to $95,291, while per diem was cut from $173 to $142.
The panel of gubernatorial appointees will meet at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Sacramento City Hall.
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