A PART-TIME LEGISLATURE IS A GOOD IDEA ANY TIME TO PUT THE PUBLIC INTEREST AHEAD OF SELF-INTEREST

Letter to the Editor

Part-time legislature does away with pomp and perks

     Robert Klitzkie

(Editor's note: Former Sen. Robert Klitzkie disagrees with parts of The Guam Daily Post editorial on the part-time legislature idea. He italicized parts from the editorial, followed by his comments. He also feels the issue has never been debated by the legislature, although discussions have been made about the idea, but these talks didn't reach the legislative session floor for debate.)  

Editor:

“Pursuing a part-time legislature isn’t a good idea right now,” read the headline on today’s editorial. What you said is italicized.

"A part-time legislature would save money, but it could bring a number of disadvantages. For one, it could make the Legislature less representative of the community."

Now the legislature is primarily representative of those who have worked for a GOP or Democratic administration. Sen. Castro apparently still is!

"Only a limited number of people could work part time as a lawmaker." Yeah, they wouldn't have time to present resolutions, perform marriages, perform funerals, take off-island junkets, go to matais, hang out with their dozen employees in $3,000 offices, posture and pose. The REAL business of legislation when stripped
of pomp and perks can be accomplished by people other than professional politicians. Remember Nov. 21, 2014? That’s when acting Gov. Ray Tenorio and the "Won Pat Ten" gave themselves huge retroactive raises. It took senators three years to repeal those raises. Self-interest trumped all.

"But residents of various socioeconomic backgrounds should be able to be lawmakers." Agreed but what chance does the average worker have to be elected? None. Obviously the fifty-five grand salary only kicks in AFTER election. Incumbents campaign on what amounts to government money, private sector workers don't.

"In addition, a part-time legislature could raise conflicts of interest." Ask Sens. Fernando Esteves and James Espaldon about this.

"People may feel beholden to their other employer, and they may face competing priorities over time, among other things." The key words here are "other employer." Senators relying on government salaries is the MAJOR consideration in the current system, i.e. re-election means continued "employment."

"Can senators streamline their staffs by consolidating positions?" And eliminate all the patronage positions that help them stay in office? Not likely.

"Is it necessary to pay a vice mayor $68,000 a year?" Do you remember how mayors and vice mayors got those high salaries?

"We can’t afford to lose time by relaunching old debates about ideas that have been shot down over and over again." Shot down? The matter of a citizens' legislature has NEVER been debated by any legislature. 

Pursuing a part-time legislature is a good idea any time to put the public interest ahead of self-interest like we saw on Nov. 21, 2014.

Robert Klitzkie is a former Guam senator.