Arizona governor slams state lawmakers for getting paid while 'not doing any work'

13 June 2023

In Arizona, Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs is voicing her displeasure with some members of the state legislature — who, she complains, are trying to make a lot of money while not working.

Brahm Resnik, a reporter for the NBC-affiliated Channel 12 News in Phoenix, reports, "Arizona lawmakers are on track to collect more than $400,000 for doing virtually nothing at the capitol, and taxpayers are footing the bill. A typical legislative session ends with marathon votes in May or June to pass a state budget — and then, everyone goes home. Not this year. The final days of the current legislature have turned into months."

This schedule, according to Resnik, was "apparently set by Senate Republicans" and "calls for" the Arizona State Legislature to "adjourn for the year in August, after a brief two-day session this week."

"All lawmakers get a daily allowance to cover work expenses while the (Arizona) Legislature is in session," Resnik notes. "The allowance is formally known as 'legislative subsistence' but is commonly referred to as a 'per diem.'"

A frustrated Hobbs told reporters, "The fact that they're continuing to take vacations in the middle of the session means that they're getting per diems every day for not doing any work."

12 News Phoenix's full report is available at this link.

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