WMC-TV: News, Weather, Traffic, Radar, and Sports for Memphis, TN; WMCTV.com | Tennessee lawmakers get $14-a-day expense increase

Tennessee lawmakers get $14-a-day expense increase

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) - While faced with a continuing state budget crunch that likely will mean laying off state employees, Tennessee legislators have received a $14-a-day increase in their compensation for expenses.

Some of them told the Chattanooga Times Free Press they are surprised and they had no idea the 8.1 percent increase took effect when the federal government's new fiscal year started.       The newspaper reports the expense payments automatically increased Oct. 1 from $171 to $185.

Lawmakers get the payments for food and lodging costs while away from their home districts on official business.

"The members of the General Assembly's per diem is set according to what the federal reimbursement rate is for the Nashville area," and those rates went up in October, said Connie Ridley, director of the Legislative Office of Administration.

House Republican Caucus Chairman Glen Casada of College Grove said he was "kind of surprised because it's based on some federal calculation. Gosh, to me, it seems like we're living in kind of a deflationary time."

House Democratic Caucus Chairman Mike Turner of Nashville also said he was unaware of the change.

"We probably ought to look at it at some point," Turner said. "If per diem gets so high, maybe we ought to look more at increasing the salary and lowering per diem to balance it out."

Ben Cunningham of Tennessee Tax Revolt, a watchdog group, said legislators should be required to take votes on raising their expenses instead of having them go up automatically.

Tennessee sustained historic revenue losses in the recession and Gov. Phil Bredesen said Tuesday that the state's budget woes will likely make layoffs of state employees unavoidable.

Members of the General Assembly are paid $19,009 a year. They also receive a $1,000-a-month home office allowance.

Lawmakers typically spend five to six months in their annual legislative sessions, deal with constituents, hold meetings with constituents at home and attend occasional committee hearings in Nashville outside of the session.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)