<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"></head><body dir="auto"><div><span></span></div><div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><div><span></span></div><div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><div><span></span></div><div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><div><span></span></div><div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><div><span></span></div><div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><div><span></span></div><div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><div><span></span></div><div><span>During the Q&A portion of the AARP Candidates' Forum, conducted on October 19th at Moscow's University Inn, former state representative Tom Trail asked if the candidates greed that the same "pay for performance" concept, that is being applied to teachers, should be applied to state legislators, based upon job creation and economic development.</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>Some of the candidates jokingly responded that legislators don't get paid very much.</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: none; "><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iv6pIA3_GVE">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iv6pIA3_GVE</a></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: none; "> </span></div><div><span>Well, let's look at Idaho state legislator pay.</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>The Idaho state legislature was in session for 80 days during the 2012 legislative year . . .</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>------------------------------------</span></div><div><br></div><div>Courtesy of Ballotpedia at:</div><div><br></div><div><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); "><a href="http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Idaho_State_Legislature">http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Idaho_State_Legislature</a></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"><br></span></div><div><img src="cid:05FD2E16-8CA1-4E10-8BA6-D2EE365292FA" alt="image.jpeg" id="05FD2E16-8CA1-4E10-8BA6-D2EE365292FA" width="342" height="444"></div><div><br></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); ">------------------------------------</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); "><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); ">Idaho state legislators receive $16,116 as compensation for that 80-day session PLUS a minimum of $4,000 ($49/day Per Diem - $122/day if a second residence is established)</span></div><div><br></div><div>Courtesy of Empire Center at:</div><div><br></div><div><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: none; "><a href="http://www.empirecenter.org/html/legislative_salaries.cfm">http://www.empirecenter.org/html/legislative_salaries.cfm</a></span></div><div><img src="cid:0F22EFDF-55D9-496D-8B61-B692AF80707B" alt="image.jpeg" id="0F22EFDF-55D9-496D-8B61-B692AF80707B" width="724" height="171"></div><div><img src="cid:B775F55D-7B29-48F7-8413-80FC9763166E" alt="image.jpeg" id="B775F55D-7B29-48F7-8413-80FC9763166E" width="711" height="85"></div><div><br></div><div>That equates to a paycheck of $20,116 for an 80-day session . . . and that doesn't include $25/day for travel.</div><div><br></div><div>That amounts to over $250 per day, seven days a week!</div><div><br></div><div>There are a LOT of families in Idaho that would love to make that kind of money.</div><div><br></div><div>And . . .</div><div><br></div><div>Although several bills were passed by this year's legislature, we should consider the "quality of life" impact of those bills.</div><div> </div><div><span>Seeya at the polls, Moscow, because . . .</span><br><span></span><br><span>"Moscow Cares"</span><br><span><a href="http://www.MoscowCares.com">http://www.MoscowCares.com</a></span><br><span></span><br><span>Tom Hansen</span><br><span>Moscow, Idaho</span><br><span></span><br><span>"We're a town of about 23,000 with 10,000 college students. The college students are not very active in local elections (thank goodness!)."</span><br><span></span><br><span>- Dale Courtney (March 28, 2007)</span><br><span></span><span></span> <span></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>