Tom Humphrey's regular column in the Knoxville News-Sentinel dealt with one of the most touchy issues concerning Tennessee's legislative rules and procedure-the payment of per diem to members of the Legislature who are on legislative or State business:
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The general silence seems grounded in concern that Legislatorland is already becoming a place where only the rich or the retired can afford to participate, and frankly, some members of modest means need the money.
Perhaps the most illogical aspect is that per diem goes to all legislators equally, whether they live three blocks from the capitol and sleep at home every night or 300 miles away in Bristol and thus must pay for a motel and meals.
State Sen. Douglas Henry, D-Nashville, a man with considerable personal wealth, declines his per diem. But he does not criticize those who accept it. And those who drive for hours to reach Nashville don't protest the unfairness of receiving the same per diem as their colleagues from the Nashville neighborhood - at least not publicly.
In the very first column that I wrote for The Examiner, I dealt with the issue of per diem payments in the General Assembly, and took the unpopular position that it is perfectly fine for legislators to accept the payments and that the State should make them. No, Nashville legislators should not receive the payments, and that is a reform that the General Assembly can and should consider very carefully, letting Davidson County members explain why they should get per diem when they don't need a hotel room or apartment. However, per diem payments to legislators outside of Davidson County should be the normal procedure on the Hill, because failure to help pay legislators' expenses will further discourage the everyday Tennessean from running for office at a time when the opportunity to do so is already impossible for so many.
Consider a couple of Republican examples of people who have rendered exceptional service in the Legislature. Rep. Mike Bell (R-Cleveland) is now running for the State Senate, but he might not have been able to run for the House at all since he is a home-schooling Dad to five kids who is self-employed running his own pressure washing business. Were it not for per diem, his legislator's $19,000 salary might not be enough to support his family while he is away from his work in those critical spring months, since a big chunk of it would have to pay for his costs while he is in Nashville. Rep. Bill Dunn has previously served as House Republican Leader, replacing Tre Hargett, who is now Tennessee's Secretary of State. Dunn recently changed careers after serving many years as an arborist for Cortese Tree Service (those familiar with Knox County conservative circles might know Jim Cortese). A Catholic education is very expensive, and when you have five children whose education you must be concerned with and who you must feed and clothe in addition to loving, a $19,000 salary for half the year while you are away from home with no expenses paid just wouldn't cut it for most working families in that situation. I didn't ask Dunn about his personal financial situation for this article, but I didn't need to (and would not presume to)-I know he has a daughter who just graduated from Notre Dame, and another at Maryville College who recently graduated from Knoxville Catholic High School. When Dunn was first elected to the General Assembly almost 14 years ago, the base salary was not nearly as high as it is now. It isn't a stretch to say that one of the most popular Republicans in the Tennessee House of Representatives might not be there without the per diem that helps cover his legislative expenses.
Unlike some legislators, Bill Dunn either calls home each night or takes a call from his wife Stacy. Like Senator Dewayne Bunch, Bill Dunn and Mike Bell are at the Capitol for the right reasons-to do the people's business. Do we want regular folks like Mike Bell and Bill Dunn along with the wealthier members of the House and Senate, or do we want a General Assembly of fat cats who are there only because they can afford to be? Without per diem for legislators, Tennesseans can almost certainly expect the latter.
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