2 Ky. lawmakers return wages for special session
By ROGER ALFORD – Associated Press Writer
FRANKFORT — Two Kentucky lawmakers have returned more than $2,500 to the state treasury, refusing to be paid for a weeklong special legislative session held last month.
Gov. Steve Beshear called lawmakers back to Frankfort in May to pass a state budget after they failed to do so during a regular legislative session that ran from January to April.
Democratic state Reps. Jim Wayne of Louisville and Melvin Henley of Murray were the only ones out of 138 lawmakers who have returned their wages to the state treasury, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press through an open records request.
“I just feel like we should have gotten the budget done during the regular session,” Henley said Wednesday. “I just felt like it wasn’t right to take a salary for something we should have already done.”
A political blowup over whether Kentucky lawmakers should be paid for an extended legislative session two years ago ended by giving up 19 days of wages and expenses totaling more than $750,000. House lawmakers went even further, refunding an additional $105,000 in salaries that year.
Wayne said lawmakers have a constitutional responsibility to pass a state budget every two years in a regular legislative session.
“We didn’t get it done,” he said. “I just thought it was the responsible thing to do, to write a check right back to the treasury.”
Henley sent a check for $623.70 to cover his salary. Wayne’s check was for $1,956.83 to cover his salary and expenses, according to the records AP got from the Office of the State Treasurer.
The Legislative Research Commission estimates the cost of a special session in Kentucky at about $63,000 a day. Lawmakers met for six days in May, putting the overall cost to taxpayers at more than $300,000.
Some taxpayer advocacy groups had urged lawmakers not to accept their pay for the special session.
“They have a responsibility to get a budget passed,” said Jim Waters, a policy analyst for the government watchdog group Bluegrass Institute in Bowling Green. “They put it off until taxpayers had to pay additional money to get it done. It’s inexcusable any way you look at it.”
Beshear brokered a compromise between the House and Senate in May, getting a $17 billion budget enacted, preventing massive layoffs of state workers, including police. Without a budget, Beshear had warned that all nonessential government services would have had to shut down beginning July 1.
Budget negotiations had been complicated during the regular legislative session by a $1.5 billion revenue shortfall brought on by the ailing economy.
Henley said his decision to refund his salary was based on a matter of conscience, and he isn’t suggesting other lawmakers should do the same.
“It’s a personal decision,” he said. “I would not presume to tell somebody else they should do that.”
Filed Under: KY General Assembly • State Government
About the Author: John Stamper is the accountability editor for the Lexington Herald-Leader. A native of Monticello, Ky., he has been with the Herald-Leader in a variety of roles since graduating from Western Kentucky University in 2000. Reach him at jstamper@herald-leader.com
Oh my gosh, did hell just freeze over???????
REMEMBER THIS IN NOVEMBER!!!
Thank you to the two lawmakers who returned the money. They did the right thing. Too bad no one else has, there should not be a need for any special sessions if business were conducted the way it should be done. Forget this silly stuff they spend their time on. I hope voters remember this session when they vote next time.
FINALLY!!! KUDOS!! Two legislatures that manned-up to job and did what was right for the right reasons! I only wish they were from my area but sadly weren’t.
I don’t mean to be cynical, but isn’t Wayne running for re-election? I guess Kentuckians are really stupid if they think this gesture is sincere.
If the special session was not a financial burden to the lawmaker, giving it back is good. If, however, it provided a financial burden, I am not going to criticize anyone for not giving it back. The leadership and governor are responsible, not the individual lawmakers.
I will not vote for any incumbent who didn’t return the money and neither should you. Sincere or not the current politicians in office (Dems or Reps) should get the boot. Change must start with your local races and your vote, the problem starts at your back door not in the next district or county. I am sick and tired of our politicians in office (State or Federal0. It needs to be about the greater good and not about special interests, and back door deals.
Very admirable gesture! It does raise a few questions though; Are they paid additional salary for a special session? If so , the rest would be smart to follow suit. Also, if they are not paid additional money for a special session why don’t they return more of their salary for the time they are not in session? It seems all well & good but I’m inclined to belieive that these gentlemen are simply playing the game.
This was extra money paid to them because they didn’t do their job and come out with a budget during their regular session. So they indeed cost the tax payers money that wouldn’t have been needed had they done their job during the regular session.
only 2 have returned wages. That is no surprise. After all, they all make TOO much money for the time they spend on the job. Wish I could make $55,000 a year working as little as they do. PLus they ALWAYS seem to vote themselves a pay raise every time they are in session
Well you don’t know Melvin Henley then if you don’t think that it is sincere for him to return his pay. He is from my area and has always wanted to represent the people of his home town and is doing so with Pride and integrity, His first year or two in office he donated his salary to Murray state for a scholarships at the local college he taught at for about thirty years.He is a believer in a hard days work for a hards days pay and will only take what he has earned.And they also work more then people think they do,If you got all the phone calls and did all the meetings they do and the travel you would agree there payed just..
I HAVE AN UTMOST RESPECT FOR THE TWO MEN WHO GAVE THEIR SALARY BACK FOR THE WASTED TIME THEY SPENT IN LEGISLATURE,I HOPE IT ENCOURAGES MORE ACTION’S LIKE THIS.KEEP IT UP MEN AND WOMEN
Since Rep. Wayne and Henley are like 118 other legislators who did not serve on the Free Conference Committee, therefore they had no say in the committee not reaching agreement on the budget. Those not on the Free Conference Committee did have a chance to vote on the state budget in the Regular Session because there was no budget agreement for them to vote on. Many other legislators “did” donate their salaries to local charities so that the money would make a difference in their home areas, even though they had no control (the ones not on the Free Conference Committee) over the fact no final vote was taken on the state budget in the Regular Session.
I meant to say “did not” have a chance to vote on the state budget. No vote could be taken until the Free Conference Committee reached agreemnt, they did not therefore no vote was taken.
No one ran against Rep. Jim Wayne this year, as it most often the case in his district.
Legislators who do not serve in Leadrship posts earn around $36,000 a year. The majority of those who serve on the Free Conference Committee also serve in Ledership posts, since they name the Free Conference Committee.
Will read more article from you….
Yeah bookmaking this wasn’t a high risk decision great post! ….
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