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ImCloserToThePin t1_j5yb1up wrote

Fuck that, how about we pay me more to do my job? Fuck those cocksuckers who are only self serving lol. You think that’s the only income they have?

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microspora t1_j5yi8ws wrote

Most of them do have other income, no one is disputing that. But what professions allow you to take several months off each year to go to Hartford? Take a look at the current legislators we have - a big proportion are lawyers, real estate agents, or retired. Our current structure excludes basically everyone else. That’s fine with you? You don’t think we might benefit from having other perspectives in Hartford?

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xvx_k1r1t0_xvxkillme t1_j60fg7k wrote

My previous union contact had unpaid leave for elected officials as needed to perform duties of office.

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BobbyBuzz008 t1_j61jaf7 wrote

  1. Of the 187 legislators, 178 have a job outside of their legislative position.

  2. In the state of Connecticut, it is against the law for an employer to deny leave to an elected representative serving in the legislature. Employers must excuse employees from work without any punitive action to employees who are elected to the state general assembly.

  3. The $40,000 salary is higher for most. If you serve in a leadership position (committee chair, vice chair, leader, whip, debuty speaker, speaker, etc) you get several thousand more dollars annually. All 36 state senators are in leadership and nearly have of the 151 state representatives are in leadership. State representatives also receive a travel stipend which can be worth several thousand more dollars, free meals, good healthcare, and a pension if they serve for ten years. Legislators also have access to a staff and a office at no charge.

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Badgercakes7 t1_j63izcp wrote

That’s exactly the point. You or I COULDNT live our lives in politics because we don’t have other sources of income. The current system makes it so that those who can afford to become a politician are those who are already wealthy, while those of us working schlubs would go bankrupt trying to do a stint in politics. By increasing pay for politicians to a livable level, we can make it so that the working class will be able to become involved in politics and would therefore give more of a voice to their fellow workers.

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