Republicans want to cut legislative pay 10 percent

ATLANTA - Republicans in the Georgia Senate called Wednesday for state lawmakers to take a ten percent pay cut as a sign to voters that elected officials are willing to share the pain of state budget cuts. <br> <br> The Republican leader, Senator Tom Price of Roswell, said ``The Senate Republican Caucus believes that if we cannot afford to give our teachers a pay raise, then we must take a pay cut.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> He said he was introducing the pay cut legislation later Wednesday with the signatures of all 30 Senate Republicans as co-sponsors. That would give the measure more than the necessary votes to pass. <br> <br> In the Democrat-controlled House, the idea won easy acceptance. Democratic Representative Tom Buck of Columbus, the budget chairman, said he already had drafted a bill calling for a five percent legislative pay cut but has not introduced it yet. <br> <br> Buck said, ``I think the General Assembly needs to bleed just like everybody else if we&#39;re going through this financial crisis.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Democrat Representative Calvin Smyre of Columbus proposed to one-up Republicans with a ten percent pay cut not only for lawmakers but for top state officials, as well, including Governor Perdue. Perdue earns $128,000 a year. Smyre said he planned to introduce that measure Thursday. <br> <br> Legislators are paid a salary of $16,200 a year, which would be reduced by ten percent under the Republican proposal. The GOP lawmakers said they weren&#39;t considering cuts in other legislative benefits at this time, but did not close the door on that later. <br> <br> Besides their salaries, lawmakers are paid a $128 subsistence allowance for each of the 40 days they are in session and they are reimbursed 28 cents a mile for one roundtrip a week home. <br> <br> They also may draw $7,000 a year for expenses they incur for such things as additional secretarial staff, postage and office equipment.