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Reacting to news that California legislators will receive a $20,376 per year pay raise effective December 1, 1998, Gerald Klaas, the Libertarian candidate for State Senate District 6, called the raise "absurd".
Mr Klaas said, "The commission believes that this raise is needed to attract qualified candidates. I say that's absurd. I say cut the salaries. Furthermore, we should return to a part time legislature. Legislative salaries should be a pittance. Instead of attracting candidates who would demand such a salary, we should attract candidates who are willing to forgo the higher salary for their sense of duty and dedication to their state, and citizen government."
"Legislative salaries commensurate to industry middle management salaries will serve the career politician, not the people of California. The people of California have already spoken, they do not want career politicians. They want and deserve representative, citizen government. Turning legislative service into a well-paid cushy position is contrary to the goal of citizen government."
Mr. Klaas was born and raised in Sacramento. He attended Jesuit High School (Class of '81), American River College (AS in Math and Physical Science) and CSUS (BA in Mathematics with an emphasis in statistics). Presently he works as a database and Internet programmer for the state, and instructs night classes for American River College about the Internet and web page programming. You will find more about Mr. Klaas and his views online at http://sacto.com
