13 Legislators’ Expenses Top $4.5 Million

Taxpayers shelled out more than $4.5 million for everything from leased cars to office furniture to support the San Gabriel Valley’s 13 state lawmakers during the 1988 session, according to office expense figures released last month.

Of the Legislature’s 120 members, Assemblyman William H. Lancaster (R-Covina) spent the least, with a tab of $197,397--which was about 29% below the Assembly average of $279,192 for the 12 months ending last Nov. 30.

The San Gabriel Valley delegation’s top spender was former Sen. H. L. Richardson (R-Glendora), who listed $584,015 in office expenses, about 17% above the Senate average of $483,476.

To reduce costs, Richardson, who retired last year after 22 years in the Senate, urged the Legislature to stop meeting year-round. In an interview last week, Richardson, who now produces videos and gives speeches, cracked: “You can run that whole damn place in 2 1/2 months and still have time left over. Being a state senator was the snappiest job I’ve ever had. It’s easy.”

Figures for Both Houses

In the San Gabriel Valley Senate delegation, Richardson was followed by Sen. William Campbell (R-Hacienda Heights), $579,113; Newton Russell (R-Glendale), $489,881; Joseph Montoya (D-Whittier), $458,909, and Art Torres (D-Los Angeles), $406,575.

In the Assembly, all eight San Gabriel Valley lawmakers spent less than the $279,192 average. The top spender was Assemblyman Frank Hill (R-Whittier), with $278,291, followed by Charles Bader (R-Pomona), $277,307; Richard Polanco (D-Los Angeles), $275,956; Sally Tanner (D-Baldwin Park), $263,162; Richard Mountjoy (R-Monrovia), $259,864; Pat Nolan (R-Glendale), $255,393; Charles Calderon (D-Whittier), $254,168; and Lancaster.

Lancaster, whose staff noted that in recent years their boss has ranked at or near the bottom for legislative spending, said he could not explain the reason for his last-place standing. In an interview, Lancaster, the dean of Assembly Republicans, said: “There’s no intention on my part to deliberately do that.”

Bill Nunes, a Lancaster aide, cited several reasons, including Lancaster’s low payroll and the fact that last year he mailed constituents only one state-paid newsletter. Some lawmakers sent out two newsletters.

The figures are prepared annually by the Assembly and Senate Rules Committees. The totals include staff salaries, travel, cars, district office expenses, newsletters, postage, telephones, furniture, equipment, supplies, subscriptions and photocopying.

Extra Duties Not Counted

The totals do not reflect staff and other costs connected with committee assignments. Some lawmakers who head committees have additional staff and expenses connected to their extra duties.

It generally costs more to run a Senate office than an Assembly office because senators represent larger constituencies. In the Senate, members are allotted different amounts, based on the size of their districts and the cost-of-living in cities where their district offices are located.

The Assembly in 1988 limited each member’s expenses to $254,700, excluding $87-a-day in living expenses the members received while in session to supplement their salaries. But the allotment did not include some expenses, such as the cost of mailing newsletters.

Bob Connelly, Assembly Rules Committee chief administrative officer, said Assembly expenses last year increased 13% from 1987. Among the reasons he cited were a 4% cost of living increase and a delay in receiving $500,000 worth of 1987 printing bills, which were paid in 1988.

In the Senate, expenses increased about 7% compared to 1987 mostly because of normal cost-of-living increases, according to Cliff Berg, Senate Rules Committee executive officer.

High Salaries

Richardson said one reason for his higher-than-average expense tab was that most of his employees had served on his staff for many years and, as a consequence, drew high salaries.

He said that, since retiring, he missed three perquisites of office: the Senate sergeants-at-arms gassing up his car, the convenience of parking in the basement of the Capitol and “the doughnuts in the back of the room in the lounge” of the Senate.

Sen. Campbell said his above-average spending stemmed from several factors, including maintaining two offices in his district, which sprawls over Los Angeles and Orange Counties; representing an area with three telephone area codes, which triggered higher telephone bills, and having a senior staff at the top of the pay schedule.

Campbell agreed with Richardson that there is merit to the proposal to reinstate a part-time Legislature.

“One of the things that happens is that we make a lot of our own work because we are a full-time Legislature,” Campbell said. “We have full-time employees who, in order to justify their existence, have to come up with recommendations. Those recommendations result in bills or in legislative action of some sort . . . that take time and cost money.”

STAFF AND OFFICE SPENDING BY SAN GABRIEL DELEGATION SENATE

Total Member Salaries Office Telephone Spending H.L. Richardson $455,368 $15,848 $19,081 $584,015 William Campbell $345,554 $40,251 $43,259 $579,113 Newton Russell $306,109 $18,123 $12,784 $489,881 Joseph Montoya $341,865 $25,008 $16,479 $458,909 Art Torres $280,489 $382* $26,727 $406,575 Senate Total $2,518,493

ASSEMBLY

Total Member Salaries Office Telephone Spending Frank Hill $174,961 $15,333 $19,032 $278,291 Charles Bader $187,528 $14,702 $14,735 $277,307 Richard Polanco $157,075 $22,838 $16,939 $275,956 Sally Tanner $190,232 $15,360 $10,542 $263,162 Richard Mountjoy $142,946 $20,841 $10,597 $259,864 Pat Nolan $153,580 $11,515 $19,699 $255,393 Charles Calderon $178,387 $15,417 $16,174 $254,168 William H. Lancaster $120,478 $16,583 $9,587 $197,397 Assembly Total $2,061,538

DELEGATION TOTAL: $4,580,031

Total spending includes staff salaries, office rental and maintenance costs, travel and other expenses. It does not include expenses related to committee chairmanships.

*Office is in a state office building.

Source: Senate Rules Committee and Assembly Rules Committee