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Friday, January 20, 2006

Ind. Law - Tully re Senate health care for life: "Garton clearly doesn't get it"; "An affront to Indiana taxpayers" says editorial

Indianapolis Star columnist Matthew Tully's report today is headlined "Sen. Garton's fence-sitting on perk must be painful." Some quotes:

[Senate President Pro Tem Robert Garton] this week dodged and double-talked and did everything he could to defend the legislature's ridiculously generous Taj Mahal of an insurance program.

"This was not my issue," the Columbus Republican said at a news conference Wednesday.

Oh, but it was. He was among the leaders who in 2001 and 2002 backed laws giving new low-cost but wonderful health-care benefits to current and former state lawmakers -- and their families.

For life. Long after they've left the legislature. Mostly at the expense of taxpayers, of course.

How generous is it? According to a report in The Indianapolis Star this week, the plan covers "legislators, his or her spouse, surviving spouse, divorced spouse and any dependent children."

Boy, let's give our self-serving legislators a hand for stopping with their ex-wives and ex-husbands. I mean, what about their mothers-in-law? Or their college roommates? Their cats? * * *

So far, Garton has punted, promising vague changes but keeping the taxpayer-funded charity for senators in place.

He punted at Wednesday's news conference, when he brought along Sen. David Long, R-Fort Wayne, to take the lead. Long grumpily said the health plan was "under review" and that the Senate has hired an actuary to study the issue.

What's to study? This boondoggle is another example of politicians taking care of themselves and their pals. The Senate should kill it. Now.

Don't count on that. Because Garton clearly doesn't get it.

Instead of killing the program, he talked gently about Senate staffers covered by it. Then he admitted that the program covers only one Senate staffer. * * *

Up for re-election this year, [Garton] has to know voters won't be laughing at this joke of a health-care program. On the other hand, he knows his Senate buddies don't want their benefits cut.

So the Senate's longtime leader is in quite a spot, left to defend an indefensible program.

An editorial today in the Evansville Courier& Press opines:
Senate President ProTem Robert Garton says they are reviewing the benefit for senators. What is to review?

It is an affront to Indiana taxpayers, many who cannot afford their own health insurance. Senators who serve for six years and one day and who left the Senate after Dec. 31, 2000, are entitled to lock in the current employee rate of contribution for monthly premiums for life. As those premium costs go up, taxpayers are obligated to pay the difference.

It was Republican Garton, along with then-Democratic Speaker John Gregg, who supported legislation that created the benefit for future lawmakers in 2001.

Perhaps the view of Garton and others is that serving in the Legislature is a career post, one that requires lifetime benefits. We don't see it that way, and we suspect the public doesn't either.

It is a citizen Legislature, for which Hoosiers take time away from their regular employment or other life duties to serve their state. During that time, they are rewarded with pay, expense money and other benefits. We appreciate what they do; it is challenging public service. But we do not regard them as full-time professional lawmakers, regardless of how they may see themselves. For that reason, Garton should follow Bosma's lead and halt the benefit in the Senate.

[For earlier related ILB entries, select the "Legislative Benefits" link immediately below, or from the list of "Categories" in the right column.]

Posted by Marcia Oddi on January 20, 2006 06:20 AM
Posted to Indiana Government | Indiana Law | Legislative Benefits