Today, House Democratic Leader Mark Pafford and Leader-Designate Janet Cruz called on all members of the House Republican Caucus to return all salary, per-diem, and travel reimbursements from the last three days of the legislative session.

Representative Mark Pafford said, “It is simply unconscionable for the very same legislators who skipped town to collect their taxpayer salary.  The House Republicans left Tallahassee with their jobs unfinished, leaving state government in chaos and violating the Florida Constitution. It was a partisan, political trick for House Republicans to abandon their jobs, and they should give back their salary right away.”

Representative Janet Cruz said, “House Republicans should return every penny of their taxpayer compensation for the job they abandoned. Everyone else was ready to work — House Democrats, Senate Democrats, and Senate Republicans. House Republicans failed to show up, and like every other Florida worker, they should not get paid when they don’t show up.“

Members of the legislature receive over $2,400 per month in salary, $130 per full day they spend in Tallahassee, and reimburse themselves dollar-for-dollar for most travel to and from Tallahassee. They never report their hours or punch a card, unlike most state government staff and their own legislative staff.

Representatives Pafford and Cruz call on all House Republicans to return their salary for the final three days of session, their travel back to their districts from Tallahassee, and any per-diem they claimed for the final three days of session.