Well I have to violate the two post minimums in responding to Dan's post. The mayor did nothing wrong in accepting these per diem. The legislative per diem is NOT for the payment of an expense. Legislators get their expenses paid in addition to the per diem. The per diem is a payment for attending meetings etc. It is part of their pay, although the amount is set by the Rules committee. All taxes and other state deductions like retirements and social security are taken from the per diem just like they are taken from your paycheck. The per diem in addition to the legislator's pay is used in benefit and retirement calculations. Met area legislators receive less per diem then out state legislators due to the travel distances and other non-reimbursable expenses incurred by out state legislators in performing their duties. While you may not like the idea that met area legislators receive a per diem, the fact is they are authorized and entitled to receive them. Complaining the an elected official is taking money that is legally theirs is like arguing that an employee is accepting their entire paycheck when you think they are over paid. Even if it seems unreasonable, it is their right. Mike Fratto Payne Phalen
>>> "Dan Dobson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 12/23/2004 12:19:04 PM >>> I think what any candidate does in their private life in none of the publics business, unless the indiscretion was shown to be job related or the candidate has made an issue of "Moral Values". I, for one, am far more concerned about Mayor Kelly's ethical lapses, than what any of his opponents has done in their private lives. Let's not forget that Randy Kelly flew on a private jet and sat in a private box with the co-owner of Gopher State Ethanol, Dr. Glen Nelson, a week before the City was starting it's trial against GSE for it's emission and noise problems. And from what I am hearing this is really only the tip of the iceberg about Kelly's Ethical misdeeds. I learned 3 years ago, about 36 hours before the election, that Randy Kelly as a legislator had for years taken close to or over $10,000 a year in per diems as a State Senator, even thou he lives less than 5 miles from the Capital. The Benanav campaign, knew of this and was so opposed to going "dirty" they never used this against Kelly. These are the kinds of ethical issues I am concerned about. Dan Dobson Summit Hill [EMAIL PROTECTED] List Manager <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >Dennis again your statements are outrageous. Not only are they not >true they are close to liable. To end the dispute about whether or not this happened, I did a search of the Pioneer Press archives and found the relevant article. I'm posting this link, to put an end to speculation about whether or not there is any truth to this "RUMOR" and hopefully move on. The information is question is a matter of public record and the incident did take place in Benanav's public office. The article: WOMAN IN RUCKUS IDENTIFIED EX-CAMPAIGN AIDE CONFRONTS BENANAV OVER RELATIONSHIP Is available from the Pioneer Press for $2.95. List rules prevent posting copyrighted materials in their entirety. However, I will quote: "Rachel Goligoski, 39, said she was upset about the prospect of seeing Benanav at a precinct caucus next week when she smashed a picture frame and threw a potted plant at him during a confrontation in his third-floor office. "I'm not a disgruntled citizen," Goligoski said, discounting a phrase that a city official used Wednesday to describe the incident. "I'm a disgruntled ex-lover." As Erin pointed out, the article went on to say that Benanav and his family are dealing with this issue in private. The real question is - how much does should this matter in the mayoral race? AND to what extent do these kinds of public debates affect the quantity and quality of candidates that we are getting? -- Tim Erickson List Manager St. Paul Issues Forum http://www.e-democracy.org/stpaul/ Hamline Midway Resident 651-643-0722 [EMAIL PROTECTED] St. Paul Links - http://www.e-democracy.org/stpaul/links.html "The St. Paul Issues Forum is a interactive e-mail discussion on important issues about St. Paul public policy. Participation is free and open to anyone. We currently have about 350 concerned citizens and community leaders subscribed to our discussion." _____________________________________________ To Join: St. Paul Issues Forum Rules Discussion Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ____________________________________________ NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [email protected] To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul Archive Address: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/ _____________________________________________ To Join: St. Paul Issues Forum Rules Discussion Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ____________________________________________ NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [email protected] To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul Archive Address: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/ _____________________________________________ To Join: St. Paul Issues Forum Rules Discussion Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ____________________________________________ NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [email protected] To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul Archive Address: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/
