Massachusetts state legislators can receive extra pay, pensions, and perks, under the guise of dealing with increasingly “complicated and consuming” work. Gone unchecked, the system provides a way for legislators to reward their supporters, even if the responsibilities are bogus.
From the story: “But now that [Ryan Fattman] has settled into his new role as state senator, the 30-year-old Webster lawmaker has grabbed one of the best legislative perks offered on Beacon Hill: a $15,000-a-year stipend to essentially do nothing.That extra pay, added onto his $60,032 base legislative salary, comes with his appointment as ‘assistant minority whip,’ a job usually given to those who are assigned to enforce party discipline on the rank and file. But there is no Republican rank and file in the Senate — thus, there are no back-benchers to whip into line.”
Read the full story by The Boston Globe.
