Rep. Wes Keller Responds to Questions About Per Diem, Leave

Lawmakers respond to questions about the rules governing per diem pay for attending the special legislative session in Juneau.

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Story Created: May 9, 2011 at 4:10 PM AKDT

Story Updated: May 9, 2011 at 4:10 PM AKDT

Rep. Wes Keller, Wasilla-R

I requested leave to do State's business.  I will be flying from Juneau to Fairbanks and back to Juneau without ever going home to Wasilla. The purpose of the trip is to chair the regular Citizen's Advisory Commission on Federal Areas (CACFA).  As a default, I typically request leave for both personal and state's business in case I slip and do something that might be considered personal business without thinking.  In this case I requested leave for personal business and State's business in error --- it is unlikely that anything I do in Fairbanks would have personal business involved.    

On whether a legislator should receive per diem when in their home district: It seems to me that per diem is to pay the extra cost of having two places to live. If a legislator leaves special session for a few days and is still maintaining an abode in both Juneau and the home district, the per diem seems logical to me. If, however, the leave should become extended so two abodes are not needed, per diem probably shouldn't be accepted. 

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xliber said on Tuesday, May 10 at 4:48 PM

These pople are in aspeical session because they can't de their job in the time allotted They should not receive any pay They are just milking the system. And if they can't dotheir job Why are they allowed to leave anyway? Thy need to find new jobs so we can get good people in office

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