Trib: Idaho Doesn’t Always Rank Last

Whenever the states are ranked, Idaho sinks to the bottom - with one notable exception. Idaho pays its state lawmakers $16, 116 a year - plus $122 a day in expense money every day the Legislature is in session. There's state health insurance for those who want it and a state pension that can become quite lucrative for the legislative veteran who ends his career at a high-paying state administrative post. So when it comes to legislative compensation, Idaho scores fairly well. Last summer, the Spokesman-Review reported the Gem State scored 28th among 42 states that pay annual compensation. That puts Idaho lawmakers ahead of their colleagues in Arkansas ($15,362), Maine ($13,526), Mississippi ($10,000), Nebraska ($12,000), North Carolina ($13,951), Rhode Island ($13,089), South Carolina ($10,400), South Dakota ($12,000), Texas ($7,200), as well as New Mexico (nothing) and New Hampshire ($100). Idaho comes in behind Washington, where lawmakers earn $42,106, and Oregon, which pays $21,612/Marty Trillhaase, Lewiston Tribune. More here.

Question: Do you think compensation for Idaho legislators is too much/too little/just right?