State Sen. Jeff Denham, R-Atwater, likes to tell his Valley constituents how much money he saves them, even touting all the times that he hasn't taken a raise in his taxpayer-financed salary. Now we learn that while he has not taken several raises at the times they were offered, he later sends a letter to the state controller asking for the previous raise. It's very creative, although not quite honest.
It's all here in The Sacramento Bee's Capitol Alert (you'll have to register to read it).
Here's more from the SacBee item:
For instance, last fall, Denham, who is facing a recall attempt, was one of the 21 lawmakers who turned down a $3,110-per-year raise that went into effect in December. But less than a month after declining the pay hike, the Atwater Republican sent a second letter to the state controller accepting a similar-sized raise granted 18 months earlier.It’s not the first time Denham has declined one raise while accepting another.
“He gets the best of both worlds,” said Robert Stern, president of the government-watchdog Center for Governmental Studies. “He’s getting the good press and most of the pay.”
Denham has collected less than his full salary every year since he was elected in 2002, but in each of the last two years he has, within a month, turned down one raise, while accepting another.
"But I declined the pay raise before I accepted it."
He must belong to the GOPP (Grand Old Pay-raise Party).
They should get docked pay for every day they can't pass the budget. That might get them to do things timely and actually earn a raise.
I think Sen. Denham is going to have a wipeout when the democratic tidal wave hits the valley!!!
jim