No Returns, All Sales Final

One of the fun things about coming home after being away a few days is going through several newspapers at once. I haven't gotten completely caught up with the Inky yet, but a story in Saturday's paper (For 2 new lawmakers, giving back pay raises is hard to do," by Mari A. Schaefer) got my attention. I tried to find a good holiday-related title for this blog post, something about the Grinch or no good deed goes unpunished, but nothing really seemed to fit.

In any event, two newly elected state representatives, Bryan Lentz (D-161) and Tom Murt (R-152) don't want their salaries to reflect this year's cost of living increase. They want their salary to be what it was when they ran for office. Apparently there is no way to do that. They can contribute the amount of the increase to charity, but they will still be taxed on the full amount.

Superior Court Judge Joan Orie Melvin ran into the same problem in October and has been refusing to accept her paychecks, sending them back to the state until the issue can be resolved.