THE HOUSE AND SENATE. There were no roll call votes in the House or Senate during the week of August 31-September 4.

The official list from the state treasurer's office of "per diems" collected so far by 160 state representatives in 2009 for "mileage, meals and lodging" expenses reveals that through August 24, House lawmakers have collected a total of $248,947 - nearly a quarter of a million dollars.  Per diems are paid by the state to representatives "for each day for travel from his place of residence to the Statehouse and return therefrom, while in the performance of his official duties, upon certification to the state treasurer that he was present at the Statehouse."

These per diems are given to representatives above and beyond their annual salaries which in 2009 were raised 4.8 percent from $58,236 to $61,439. Many representatives also receive additional stipends ranging from $7,500 to $35,000 if they serve as committee chairs or in other leadership positions.  This means that the lowest salary that any of the 160 representatives receive is $68,939 while the highest is $96,439.

The 2009 statistics indicate that representatives have received 2009 per diem payments ranging from $20 to $9,810. A total of 14 of the chamber's 16 Republicans have collected per diems while two have not. On the Democratic side, 90 of the chamber's 144 Democrats have collected money while 54 have so far chosen not to apply for any. State law does not establish a deadline that representatives must meet in order to collect the per diems.  

The amount of the per diem varies and is based on the city or town in which a representative resides and its distance from the Statehouse. These payments are not taxable and range from $10 per day for representatives who reside in the Greater Boston area to $90 for some Western Massachusetts lawmakers and $100 for those in Nantucket. Representatives who are from areas that are a long distance from Boston's Statehouse often are the ones who collect the highest total of annual per diems.

Beacon Hill Roll Call reported last week that the state's 40 senators so far in 2009 have collected $51,685 in per diems. The combined 2008 total collected by representatives and senators through August 24 is $300,632.

Supporters of per diems say that this system is a reasonable one that helps hardworking legislators who often travel long distances to and from the Statehouse. They note that many legislators who live far from Boston are entitled to be reimbursed for travel, food and lodging.

Some opponents say that the very idea of paying a per diem to a legislator is outrageous. They note that other state workers and most private workers are not paid additional money for commuting. Some point to drastic cutbacks in important human service programs and a huge budget deficit. They say that the more than $300,000 that has been doled out in per diems so far this year would be better spent on important state programs that would help citizens, not legislators.

The representative who has received the most money in 2009 is Rep. Daniel Bosley (D-North Adams) with $9,810. The other top ten recipients include Reps. Timothy Madden (D-Nantucket) $8,900; Sarah Peake (D-Provincetown) $6,068; Ellen Story (D-Amherst) $5,460; Denis Guyer (D-Dalton) $5,248; Peter Kocot (D-Northampton) $4,884; Christopher Speranzo (D-Pittsfield) $4,860; James Welch (D-Springfield) $4,554; John Scibak (D-South Hadley) $4,320; Benjamin Swan (D-Springfield) $4,140 and George Peterson (R-Grafton) $4,140

LOCAL REPRESENTATIVES' PER DIEMS FOR 2009

The dollar figure next to the representative's name represents the total amount of 2009 per diem money that the state has paid the legislator through August 24.  The number in parentheses represents the number of days that the representatives certified that he or she was at the Statehouse during that same period.

A total of 56 of the state's representatives did not list any days and did not request any per diems. This should not be construed to mean that they were never at the Statehouse in 2009. It simply means that they chose not to list the number of days and not to request their per diems.

Rep. Thomas Calter, $2,158 (83 days)

Rep. Daniel Webster, (0 days)

ALSO UP ON BEACON HILL

SOME POSSIBLE 2010 BALLOT QUESTIONS CLEAR FIRST HURDLE - Attorney General Martha Coakley's office has certified as constitutional several citizen-initiated petitions for proposed laws that could appear on the 2010 ballot. These measures include eliminating Turnpike tolls; reducing the new 6.25 sales tax to either five, four, three or 2.5 percent; eliminating the new 6.25 percent sales tax on alcohol purchased at package stores; lifting a cap on the number of charter schools in Massachusetts; prohibiting the use of commercial fishing gear that could harm whales or sea turtles and making changes in the operation of the Legislature including requiring that the election of speaker of the House and Senate president be by secret ballot and that each branch publish detailed line item budgets showing where money is spent on their operation. Two measures that were not certified would protect local aid by prohibiting it from being reduced by a percentage that is more than the percentage that the entire state budget is reduced and legalize and tax Internet poker.

Sponsors of the proposals must now collect 66,593 signatures in order to bring their measure to the Legislature which has until next May to act on it. If the measure is not approved by the Legislature, sponsors need another 11,099 signatures by June 18 in order to place the matter on the 2010 ballot for voters to decide.

A complete list and summary of each of the petitions can be found online at www.mass.gov/ago/initiative_petitions

LOGAN-KENNEDY AIRPORT - Rep. Lori Ehrlich (D-Marblehead) has filed a bill changing the name of Boston's Logan International Airport to Logan-Kennedy International Airport in honor of the late Sen. Edward Kennedy. The airport is currently named solely after the late Major General Edward Logan who served in the Spanish American War and later was commander of the American Legion, President of the National Guard Association and a state legislator.

SPECIAL ELECTION SET TO FILL TED'S SEAT - Gov. Deval Patrick announced that the statewide primary election to fill Kennedy's Senate seat will be on December 8 followed by the final election on January 11.  The last day to register to vote is November 12 for the primary and December 30 for the final. Current law provides that the seat remain vacant until the special election.

Meanwhile, debate continues on a proposal that would give Patrick the power to appoint a temporary short-term replacement for the late senator. Republicans proposed a similar law in 2004 but it was defeated by Democrats who feared that then GOP Gov. Mitt Romney would have the opportunity to appoint a Republican to temporarily fill Sen. John Kerry's seat if Kerry won the 2004 November presidential election.

Republicans say that many Democrats are hypocrites who have changed their partisan minds and now support a temporary appointment because it would be made by the Democrat Patrick. Democrats say that under the current law, Massachusetts would not have a second senator for five months. They say that the appointment power is necessary in order to ensure full and continuous representation for Massachusetts in the U.S. Senate and to have two votes from Massachusetts for a health care reform plan.

MINORS AND THE INTERNET (H 439) - The Education Committee is looking at legislation that would require each local school committee to develop a plan to ensure the safety of minor students when using the Internet in school.

QUOTABLE QUOTES

"Has there ever been a better poster child for 'Do as I say, not as I do'"?

Chip Ford of Citizens for Limited Taxation (CLT) commenting on the story that Rep. Michael J. Rodrigues' (D-Westport) was "caught" buying tax-free liquor at a New Hampshire liquor store. Rodrigues recently voted to impose a 6.25 percent sales tax on alcohol purchased at Massachusetts' liquor stores.

"We were coming home from New Hampshire. That (the NH liquor store) was the first available rest room. We stopped. And while we were there we walked in and bought a few bottles not even thinking that we were going to save anything on sales tax or not save anything on sales tax.  Really, There's no bargains up there."

Rep. Rodrigues responding to the story.

"I don't have a really good  filter ... My first press conference could be my last."

Former Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling commenting on his possible candidacy to fill Kennedy's vacant seat.

"Their names and distinguished careers would serve as a beacon to welcome millions of travelers who fly into our state from lands near and far. I believe this would be a fitting way to remember the significant contributions he made to our state and country."

Rep. Lori Ehrlich (D-Marblehead) on her proposal that would change the name of Logan International Airport to Logan-Kennedy International Airport in honor of the late Sen. Edward Kennedy.