In Harrisburg, scores of legislative staffers make more than lawmakers

Our friend John Micek at The Morning Call brings us a detailed account of the money our legislators spend on staff :
It's not often the average worker makes more than the boss, but in the Pennsylvania Legislature it happens all the time.

Seventy-three House and Senate staffers received more than $100,000 last year, well above the lawmaker base pay of $78,314, according to records obtained from the chief clerk's office in both chambers.

Legislative employees do everything from answer the phones at your local lawmaker's district office to shape the state budget and policy priorities that become state law.

Forty House employees made more than $100,000 in 2008 (the most recent year for which data was available), as did 33 in the Senate, the records show.

At a time the state faces a $2.3 billion budget deficit, the proposed elimination or reduction of scores of programs and the prospect of layoffs for hundreds of state employees, lawmakers and their top aides insist they're doing all they can to stretch the public's buck. They defend the salaries paid to top staffers as just compensation for invaluable experience and expertise.