The pay raise PA legislators gave themselves was bad enough as it was. I disagreed with their excuses about cost of living increases, but at least it was an attempt at a defensible reason for being so generous to themselves. Then I read this.

"Starting in December 2006, an automatic cost-of-living adjustment will be tacked on to legislators' pay raises, state officials said yesterday. It means that for lawmakers who are elected in November 2006, the salary increase will be even larger than the previously reported 16 percent to 34 percent."

….

"But in addition to the base salaries, the pay raise law contains an automatic cost-of-living boost that is set to take effect Dec. 1, 2006, House Parliamentarian Clancy Myer confirmed yesterday. A new COLA increase also will occur each successive Dec. 1, he added."

"The pay raise law states that legislators' base salaries "shall be increased by the greater of" two alternative methods."

Operation Cleansweep is looking better and better…