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From The Heritage Foundation and The Goldwater Institute:
Government Reform
The Citizen Legislature: How Reasonable Limits on State Legislative Salaries, Staff and Session Lengths Keep Liberty Alive
by William Ruger, Jason Sorens
Goldwater Institute
June 22, 2011
Policy Brief
An analysis of indicators of economic and personal freedom in the 50 states reveals that states with “citizen legislatures”—part-time legislators, low salaries, short sessions, and small legislative staffs—enjoy more economic and individual liberty. New Hampshire, which enjoyed the top overall freedom ranking, also enjoyed the status of having the most minimalistic state legislature. By contrast, five out of the ten least freedom-friendly states—New York, New Jersey, California, Massachusetts and Illinois—all shared the dubious honor of supporting state legislatures that are among the top ten most lavish in terms of salary, staff, and session length. Our findings confirm that citizen legislators—as opposed to career legislators—avoid legislating in areas that are normally private domains and prevent government from expanding unsustainably. Consequently, voters should continue to resist efforts to increase legislators’ salaries, staff, and the length of time the legislature is in session.
URL: www.goldwaterinstitute.org/file/6190/download/6192
Government Reform
The Citizen Legislature: How Reasonable Limits on State Legislative Salaries, Staff and Session Lengths Keep Liberty Alive
by William Ruger, Jason Sorens
Goldwater Institute
June 22, 2011
Policy Brief
An analysis of indicators of economic and personal freedom in the 50 states reveals that states with “citizen legislatures”—part-time legislators, low salaries, short sessions, and small legislative staffs—enjoy more economic and individual liberty. New Hampshire, which enjoyed the top overall freedom ranking, also enjoyed the status of having the most minimalistic state legislature. By contrast, five out of the ten least freedom-friendly states—New York, New Jersey, California, Massachusetts and Illinois—all shared the dubious honor of supporting state legislatures that are among the top ten most lavish in terms of salary, staff, and session length. Our findings confirm that citizen legislators—as opposed to career legislators—avoid legislating in areas that are normally private domains and prevent government from expanding unsustainably. Consequently, voters should continue to resist efforts to increase legislators’ salaries, staff, and the length of time the legislature is in session.
URL: www.goldwaterinstitute.org/file/6190/download/6192
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