Legislators eat up $168K in food, drinks
Published: April 1, 2009
PROVIDENCE - Times may be tough, but Rhode Island’s lawmakers aren’t going hungry.
The Providence Journal reports Wednesday that taxpayers spent nearly $168,000 in 2008 on food and drinks for members of the General Assembly and some government committees.
That’s $2,619 a day for the 64 days they were in session last year, or $23.18 for each lawmaker per day.
General Assembly members get about $14,000 a year for their part-time positions, as well as free health, dental and vision care.
Senate President M. Teresa Paiva-Weed said the 10 part-time legislatures in other states provide daily food allowances.
House Speaker William Murphy said legislators are at other jobs all day and then attend long government hearings in the evenings, and bringing in meals lets them work more effectively.
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Reader Reactions
Well $23 dollars a day isnt bad so im not going to complain. Yes they could try to do something different but thats not bad compared to all the other misuse of state vehicles and screwing the system on overtime. We have to look at for instance DEM officers who have an anual salary of $38-44,000 but put in the overtime and collect a cool $100K PLUS. There is no need. Do a search of the state of RI highest paid and you will think $23 is nothing. Oh yeah and by the way using a state DEM truck to go to a game dinner for free.Hmmmmmmm
UNREAL. These fools have NO shame and to try to justify this needless wasting of our money is even worse. They all need to be voted out of office and how about we BILL them for this offensive practice.
Until, the voters of this state make these people toe the line it is only going to get worse. I can not afford to go our to eat and they get all these perks. as for the medical and dental I am not even going to get started on that rip off to us.
Maybe they need to learn to brown bag it and bring their own food instead of eating on taxpayers’ money. My work doesn’t buy my lunch or dinner.
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