In the News: Compensation of Wisconsin Legislators

Source:  Retiring Guy's postcard collection

Compensation of Wisconsin Legislators.  ("Wisconsin Brief" from the Legislative Reference Bureau, February 2009.)

Contents of report

• Current procedure for setting salaries
• Established with passage of 1983 Wisconsin Act 27
• Removed requirement that proposal be presented to legislature in the form of a bill
• Dropped statutory connection between legislative salaries and executive salary group system.
• Speaker's stipend
• Established in 1853
• Currently $25 per day
• Travel allowance
• For one round trip to and from the state capitol each week during legislative sessions
• Rate is determined by Joint Committee on Employment Relations
• Current rate:  48.5 cents per mile.
• Reimbursement provision for actual and necessary expenses incurred while traveling on official business outside Madison.
• Per diem allowance
• Reimbursement for food and lodging expenses while on official business in Madison
• Authorized in Section 13.123 (1), Wisconsin Statutes, and Legislative Joint Rule 85.
• Current rate:  $88 (members who live in Dane County receive $44)
• Office allotments (2009-2010 legislative session)
• Senators:  $55,955
• Senate majority and minority leaders:  $12,000 each "leadership account"
• Assembly representatives:  $12,000
• Allowable expenses
• Printing
• Postage 
• Photocopying
• "Some" telephone services
• Newspapers and books
• "Miscellaneous" office expenses. 
• Not included:  Staff salaries, which, along with staffing levels, are set by respective houses.
•  In-district travel allowances,
• In addition to travel allowance
• Part of office allotment for Senators
• Separate allowance for Assembly representatives (in 2009, ranged from $3,000 to $10,000, depending upon size of district)
• Interim expense allowance
• Authorized by 1995 Wisconsin Act 27
• Intended to pay for postage and clerical assistance expenses
• $75 for senators, $25 for representatives
• Must be approved by Senator Majority Leader of Assembly Speaker 
• As of 2009, this stipend has never been paid since passage of Act 27, according to LRB brief.
• Retirement 
• Participation made voluntary in 1957, compulsory in 1973.
• May received full benefits at age 62, actuarially reduced benefits at 55.
• Cannot hold any elective or appointed position covered by Wisconsin Retirement System
• Other benefits
• Same as those available to other state employees
• Health insurance
• Sick leave
• Also available
• Life insurance
• Income continuation

In the news:
Assembly GOP considers increased expense funding.  (Badger Herald, 12/6/2012)
Do Wisconsin legislators need to be paid more?  (Capital Times, 12/6/2012)
GOP lawmakers consider raising rates paid for expenses.  (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 12/5/2012)