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Lawmakers expenses top $1.3 million

By Kristina Torres
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

5:00 a.m. Sunday, December 18, 2011
Georgia lawmakers billed the state more than $1.3 million for travel and expenses while the General Assembly was not in session this year, according to data obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

The charges, made between Jan. 1 and Dec. 8, came despite a push at the Gold Dome for leaner state government.

Over the past few years, more than 14,000 positions have been eliminated from state agencies. Divisions within the Department of Natural Resources have laid off dozens of employees. Budget cuts in areas such as college funding have meant tuition and fee hikes for thousands of students.

Yet lawmakers themselves have continued a long-standing practice that pays some more than $15,000 a year in expense money, on top of a $17,000 annual salary. And they do it with little outside oversight. No receipts or mileage logs are required to go along with these per diem payments, prompting a call for more openness by groups pressing for change.

“The key to solving all the problems is full transparency,” said Julianne Thompson, state co-coordinator of the Georgia Tea Party Patriots. The group is part of a coalition pushing for tougher ethics laws, including a $100 cap on lobbyist gifts. A push for disclosure of per diem expenses will also be on the coalition’s agenda, although Thompson said she does not question the payment system itself.

“They could have a legitimate reason,” Thompson said, but “I need more information for what they were charging for.”

The biggest recipients of the payouts in the House were Minority Leader Stacey Abrams, D-Atlanta; Rep. Steven Davis, R-McDonough, who as Information and Audits Committee chairman is supposed to review House members’ per diem reports monthly; and House Speaker David Ralston, R-Blue Ridge.

The top payouts in the Senate went to former Reapportionment Chairman Mitch Seabaugh, R-Sharpsburg, whom Gov. Nathan Deal named as deputy state treasurer in October; Rules Chairman Don Balfour, R-Snellville; and Transportation Chairman Jeff Mullis, R-Chickamauga.

Each made more than $15,000 in per diem for the time period. These payments were made for days during the year legislators said they worked even though the General Assembly was not meeting in regular or special session. Generally, legislators also receive per diem when they meet in session. The per diem noted in this story come on top of those regular payments.

The per diem payment system for time off-session has been considered a necessity to support 180 members of the House and 56 members of the Senate who are part-time legislators serving a full-time constituency. Top leadership and the heads of key committees, especially, face additional demands, often beyond the traditional 40-day legislative session that generally runs January through April.

Many lawmakers serve on special committees charged with studying a particular policy area, such as how Georgia pays for its public schools. Some regular committees, such as those involving transportation, often meet throughout the year.

Additionally, this year lawmakers went through the once-a-decade process of redrawing Georgia’s legislative and congressional districts, which resulted in a special session in August as well as additional work for lawmakers. Seabaugh, for example, oversaw the process in the Senate. Abrams led the Democratic response in the House. For both of them and other legislators, it meant a lot of extra prep work before that session.

As such, the system is designed to compensate lawmakers when they must take time off from work and drive, in some cases, across the state to Atlanta for off-session work. The law allows them to be reimbursed for mileage or transportation costs, plus other permissible expenses such as lodging, meals and supplies. There are no geographic limits in the system, so a lawmaker who lives in Atlanta is as entitled to a per diem as one who lives in Savannah.

Abrams, who lives in Atlanta, said in a statement that after taking over her party’s leadership in the House late last year, her increased responsibilities required a lot of time “coordinating policy initiatives, managing the once-a-decade redistricting process and traveling the state to meet with Georgia families and business leaders to understand their needs” in areas such as the proposed tax overhaul, immigration and transportation.

The current per diem rate is $173 per day, plus travel.

“I don’t have any reason to suspect members are not doing their jobs; I have no evidence to indicate there is abuse,” Ralston said. “You can easily obtain the number of days and amount of expenses members claim. I think that is transparency.”

As for a possible push by groups to make lawmakers be more descriptive about what they claim, Ralston said, “oftentimes, constituents might expect some degree of discretion or privacy if they’re meeting with a member about an issue they don’t want to broadcast.”

To temper excess, rank-and-file members are allowed only a limited number of per diem days they can claim without prior permission from committee chairmen. A senator may claim up to 15 such days, called “committee of one” days. A House member may claim up to seven.

Beyond that, committee chairmen are supposed to sign off on each day taken. Some ranking members, such as committee leaders, are allowed to take additional days. Others have no limits.

In the Senate, for example, the chamber’s top senators may claim an unlimited number of days, while others are supposed to cap their days at 50. All are only required to submit “a brief statement” affirming the nature of their business for each day taken. Alleged violations, according to Senate policy, could be considered an ethics violation.

Once a month, the Legislative Fiscal Office produces a report stating how much it paid each lawmaker in travel and expenses. In the House, the report goes to Davis. In the Senate, it goes to Balfour.

Balfour did not respond to messages seeking comment.

Davis said in an email that he reviewed those reports. He said he has spent time on committee work, including reorganizing the Audits Committee, and also served on a special redistricting committee.

“I take my duties and responsibilities very seriously, and I am working hard to help find ways to make government more efficient and responsive for the citizens of Georgia,” Davis said.

William Perry, executive director of the government watchdog group Common Cause Georgia, said it may be time to reconsider how the per diem program works, including possibly basing it on how far a lawmaker has to travel to get to Atlanta. Common Cause is also part of the coalition pushing for tougher ethics laws.

“I do think it’s important for each member of the General Assembly that they make judicious use of the per diem and make sure it’s benefiting the people of Georgia,” Perry said. “There needs to be greater accountability of how the money is spent.”

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Top 3 recipients

Here are three members of the House and Senate who were paid the most from Jan. 1 through Dec. 8 for travel and expenses incurred when the Legislature was not in session. Payments are in addition to salary.

$25,506

Minority Leader Stacey Abrams, D-Atlanta, 136 days

$17,278

Rep. Steven Davis, R-McDonough, Information and Audits Committee chairman, 82 days

$21,544

Former Sen. Mitch Seabaugh, R-Sharpsburg, Reapportionment Committee chairman, 96 days

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Top 10 recipients

Here are 10 members of the House and Senate who were paid the most from Jan. 1 through Dec. 8 for travel and expenses incurred when the Legislature was not in session. The list shows the total number of nonlegislative days claimed and the total paid. Lawmakers may be paid $173 per day for expenses and reimbursed for miles driven in official business. The payments are in addition to their annual salary of about $17,000.

House --- days --- payment

Minority Leader Stacey Abrams, D-Atlanta: 136 $25,506.29

Rep. Steven Davis, R-McDonough, Information and Audits Committee chairman: --- 82 --- $17,277.75

Speaker David Ralston, R-Blue Ridge: --- 92 --- $15,916

Rep. Sharon Cooper, R-Marietta, Health and Human Services Committee chairwoman: --- 75 --- $14,270.40

Rep. Terry England, R-Auburn, Appropriations Committee chairman: --- 64 --- $13,849.97

Senate --- days --- payment

Former Sen. Mitch Seabaugh, R-Sharpsburg, Reapportionment Committee chairman: --- 96 --- $21,543.77

Sen. Don Balfour, R-Snellville, Rules Committee chairman: --- 98 --- $20,264.41

Sen. Jeff Mullis, R-Chickamauga, Transportation Committee chairman: --- 74 --- $18,054.49

Sen. Greg Goggans, R-Douglas, Insurance and Labor Committee chairman: --- 70 --- $16,515.89

Sen. Ronnie Chance, R-Tyrone, Economic Development Committee chairman: --- 64 --- $14,054.99

Wednesday, 04 January 2012 04:14
Senator Jeff Mullis doesn’t deny an Atlanta Journal Constitution report that says he is among the top senators that receive per diem pay. He just says he is a busy man.
The AJC recently reported that Georgia lawmakers spent more than $1.3 million for travel and expenses while the state legislature was not in session in 2011. Mullis’ part of that was $18,054.49.
“Anytime that I go outside of my district for the state or the senate or constituent, the legislature body gives a per diem and I take it. That is to pay for expenses like hotels and I don’t always get a hotel. But it’s for food, car expenses whatever . . . So that is what the per diem is for. I’m a busy guy and I take it,” Mullis said.
The per diem pay is on top of his annual $17,000 senate salary.
The AJC reported that Mullis requested per diem pay for 74 days he worked outside his district. That’s on top of the 40 days the Georgia General Assembly is in session.

FULL-TIME JOB

So 74 days plus 40 days equals 114. When does Mullis have time for his full-time job? He’s paid $75,000 a year as director of the Northwest Georgia Joint Development Authority (JDA).
The JDA is the organization that tries to lead industries into this section of Georgia. It’s funded by Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade and Walker County taxpayers.
“But every time I’m in Atlanta I’m working for the JDA too. And, I open doors with my senate position that helps with the JDA,” Mullis said. “If I am sitting here in my Rock Spring office, I’m not productive. The best I can be is being out scurrying up game if you put it on a hunting theme. And, companies don’t come to Rock Spring and say hey, ‘Hey recruit me.’ You’ve got to go to where the fish are biting and Atlanta is usually where that is . . . It’s like if you are a Sunday school teacher, you are a Sunday school teacher wherever you go. And, I work for the JDA everywhere I go. I just have the ability because of my position to open doors . . .”
His role as an economic developer and senator are intertwined and he’s able to do more than other economic developers.
“There is no other economic developer that is invited to have dinner with the consulate general of Germany and I went to Turkey this year and it was paid for by a private sector firm from Turkey to create better (business) relationships and we visited companies that have interest in Georgia which means they have interest up here. So I utilize my senate position to open doors for my economic development position,” Mullis said.
The senator says his key leadership roles with the state keeps him busy and popular. This means meeting with groups. And, going out of town costs. That’s where the per diem reimburses his expenses.
“I don’t think I’m doing anything wrong. It’s just part of my job,” Mullis said.

12 LC 93 0885
S. R. 969
- 1 -
Senate Resolution 969
By: Senators Mullis of the 53rd, Chance of the 16th, Gooch of the 51st, Unterman of the
45th, James of the 35th and others
A RESOLUTION
1 Recognizing February 21, 2012, as Turkish American Day at the capitol; and for other
2 purposes.
3 WHEREAS, there are an estimated 8,000 Turkish Americans residing in the State of Georgia
4 and 500 Turkish American businesses; and
5 WHEREAS, the Turkish American community makes significant contributions to the
6 cultural diversity, vitality, and economic well-being of the State of Georgia; and
7 WHEREAS, Georgia's trade with Turkey has increased by more than 30 percent over the last
8 year through the efforts of the Turkish American community, the Turkish American
9 Chamber of Commerce of the Southeast United States, and the Istanbul Center; and
10 WHEREAS, the Istanbul Center is a nonprofit organization that is headquartered in Atlanta,
11 Georgia, and has a branch location in Alpharetta, Georgia, to provide assistance to the State
12 of Georgia and other areas of the United States by promoting better understanding and close
13 relations among various and diverse communities; and
14 WHEREAS, the Istanbul Center has become the premier representative organization of
15 Turkish culture by disseminating knowledge of the language, history, culture, education, and
16 social life of Turkey in Georgia and other states in the Southeast; and
17 WHEREAS, in facing the challenges of today's world, the Istanbul Center encourages
18 dialogue between the Turkish American community and the world through educational,
19 cultural, and humanitarian works; and
20 WHEREAS, the Istanbul Center promotes programs, such as festivals, cooking classes, art
21 and handcraft exhibits, and music and dance performances, that help educate and inform the
22 citizens of Georgia about Turkish culture; and
12 LC 93 0885
S. R. 969
- 2 -
23 WHEREAS, the Istanbul Center has facilitated greater cultural understanding between
24 Turkish Americans and the people of Georgia by providing opportunities to connect with
25 community leaders, many of whom are of different cultures and faith backgrounds, as
26 evidenced by the center's cultural and educational programming; and
27 WHEREAS, Turkish Americans are devoted to improving the lives of others, assisting the
28 Istanbul Center with relief programs for victims of natural and other disasters; organizing
29 donations and food drive programs; and encouraging others in the Turkish American
30 community to volunteer at the Atlanta Community Food Bank, refugee service organizations,
31 and several area homeless shelters; and
32 WHEREAS, the Istanbul Center reciprocally promotes Georgia and the Southeast United
33 States in Turkey through television programming, interviews, advertisements, and various
34 business, cultural, and educational trips to Turkey.
35 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body
36 commend the Turkish American community of Georgia and the Istanbul Center for their
37 contributions to diversity, economic well-being, culture, and the quality of life in the State
38 of Georgia and recognize February 21, 2012, as Turkish American Day at the capitol.
39 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed
40 to transmit an appropriate copy of this resolution to the Turkish American community and
41 the Istanbul Center.