Looks Like Beacon Hill's Getting a Pay Cut

One of the unique quirks of the Massachusetts state constitution is that it mandates what the pay of the rank and file legislator is -- State Reps, for example, get paid the median income for Massachusetts workers. Well, according to a letter the Governor sent out today to the State Treasurer and cc'd to Senate President Murray and Speaker DeLeo, wages in Massachusetts went down .5% last legislative session. That means State Reps will make .5% less this session, which adds up to about half a week's pay. This is the sort of "performance bonus" I could really get behind, where if you do bad, you take a hair cut... too bad Goldman Sachs doesn't have to abide by the same kind of rules.