The State Worker

Chronicling civil-service life for California state workers

While speaking to Bee Capitol Bureau reporters this morning, Assembly Speaker Karen Bass, D-Los Angeles, said that earlier this month she ordered members' "base allowance" cut 10 percent, from $292,000 to $263,000.

The money is used to hire staff and run office operations.

The policy is one of five steps Bass outlined in an April 29 memo to Assembly Chief Administrative Officer John Waldie , shortly after she came under criticism for granting raises for about 120 Assembly aides. She rescinded the raises after reports about them by The Bee and several other media outlets sparked an uproar that threatened to affect the May 19 ballot measures that seek to ease California government's financial mess, in part, by raising taxes.

Click here to read the Assembly Rules Committee May 6 memo on the allowance reduction and Bass's memo to Waldie about the Assembly operating budget.

The list doesn't include party caucus funds, however, nor does it include committee money largely controlled by Democrat committee chairs as the party in power.

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About The State Worker

Jon Ortiz The Author

Jon Ortiz started The State Worker blog and column in 2008 as a member of The Bee's business staff, where he covered workplace and labor issues. He moved to the Capitol Bureau in January 2009 to cover state employment issues full time. Join him for updates and debate on state pay, benefits, pensions, contracts and jobs. Contact him at (916) 321-1043 and at jortiz@sacbee.com.

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