Declining a Congressional Salary

[nickcoons]

I'm working on an angle, so humor me for a bit.

I oppose all taxes; I'm running for Congress; Congressmen are paid with tax money. Therefore, to implement my principles (if by some long shot I was elected), I cannot accept a salary. I'm fine with that.

The challenge is how to effectively do this. Simply refusing to take the physical paycheck won't do. The money will stay with the treasury and won't be returned to the people from which it was stolen. My goal would be to return the money to the taxpayers, my constituents.

The annual salary is about $160,000. There are about 600,000 people in my district. If half of them pay taxes, then that's about 50 cents per person. So I couldn't mail everyone a check.. I could barely pay for the stamps.

I could have an open invitation to anyone that wanted to come down to my office to get their money back because they didn't approve of me. Or perhaps I could limit it to people that didn't vote for me (and I'd take their word for it).

I understand that this is almost entirely symbolic. Few will care about the 50 cents. But it would seem that if I could go on stage and say, "I'm not taking a salary because I don't believe in taxes," that could be an interesting angle. I'm not sure if, "If I win and you didn't vote for me, I'll give you your money back," has the same impact.

The only reason to do it is out of principle. There are certainly more important things than a single congressman's salary to cut from the budget and return to the taxpayers. But perhaps it's too impractical to implement. Open to ideas...

[sailor]

Lottery??

[JoshLowry]

You'd have my vote and I'd donate more than the returned 50 cents to your campaign.

Good luck.

[Dripping Rain]

ron paul returns it to the treasury. since the money is taxpayer money to begin with i think youre encoraging redistribution of wealth. dont get me wrong its just my opin. how about calling ron pauls office and asking them how they do it

[nickcoons]

You'd have my vote and I'd donate more than the returned 50 cents to your campaign.

Good luck.

Thank you. Obviously if you're not in my district you can't vote for me, but nothing is stopping you from donating :D.


ron paul returns it to the treasury. since the money is taxpayer money to begin with i think youre encoraging redistribution of wealth. dont get me wrong its just my opin. how about calling ron pauls office and asking them how they do it

Good call! I completely forgot that he returned a portion of his salary to the treasury.

I see your point on redistribution of wealth. While 50 cents will be the average per taxpayer, some will have paid more and others less depending on what they've paid in taxes. If I want to make this even more impractical, and I can require that the individual produce a copy of their 1040 to claim their refund :).

[risiusj]

ron paul returns it to the treasury. since the money is taxpayer money to begin with i think youre encoraging redistribution of wealth. dont get me wrong its just my opin. how about calling ron pauls office and asking them how they do it

He returns the money in his congressional budget to the Treasury that isn't used. I don't think he gives back his salary.

[Icymudpuppy]

If you get elected, try introducing a bill to change congressional salary so that congressman can only receive the average annual income for their district. Thus, the manhattan, and beverly hills congressman would get a mild raise, but my congressman would only make $40K/year, and most would get a pay cut.

[nickcoons]

If you get elected, try introducing a bill to change congressional salary so that congressman can only receive the average annual income for their district. Thus, the manhattan, and beverly hills congressman would get a mild raise, but my congressman would only make $40K/year, and most would get a pay cut.

I could go for that as an improvement over our current system.

[Pennsylvania]

Nick,

Wow I was really happy to read this thread because I was thinking just yesterday about running on the same platform. I really see a lack of consistency in a politician who does not campaign to end his own salary.

[ChaosControl]

Returning to the individual taxpayers is impractical. Returning to the treasury just means your citizens are giving more of a net to the treasury than other districts instead of to you, no real difference. Even though it may be a form of redistribution I'd say use it to fund some kind of project in your district, whether it is some new computers for a school, new toys in a park, or whatever. It isn't a lot so there isn't much you could do with it, but I think that is a little better for the people than $0.50.

I agree with the idea though and I'd do the same.

[JoshLowry]

Returning to the individual taxpayers is impractical. Returning to the treasury just means your citizens are giving more of a net to the treasury than other districts instead of to you, no real difference. Even though it may be a form of redistribution I'd say use it to fund some kind of project in your district, whether it is some new computers for a school, new toys in a park, or whatever. It isn't a lot so there isn't much you could do with it, but I think that is a little better for the people than $0.50.

I agree with the idea though and I'd do the same.

Yea I kind of like that.

The treasury isn't going to do anything with it.

[nayjevin]

Returning to the individual taxpayers is impractical. Returning to the treasury just means your citizens are giving more of a net to the treasury than other districts instead of to you, no real difference. Even though it may be a form of redistribution I'd say use it to fund some kind of project in your district, whether it is some new computers for a school, new toys in a park, or whatever. It isn't a lot so there isn't much you could do with it, but I think that is a little better for the people than $0.50.

I agree with the idea though and I'd do the same.

I like this -- I would keep it in line with message by using the money to buy Constitutions for the blind or Bill of Rights posters for elementary schools or something like that.

If you can find something real creative, helpful to the community -- something that no one would be opposed to, and in line with your campaign issues -- it might be very effective.

[ghengis86]

as if the treasury has any money to begin with...

[nickcoons]

Returning to the individual taxpayers is impractical. Returning to the treasury just means your citizens are giving more of a net to the treasury than other districts instead of to you, no real difference.

That, of course, is the dilemma.


Even though it may be a form of redistribution I'd say use it to fund some kind of project in your district, whether it is some new computers for a school, new toys in a park, or whatever.

Yeah, that's probably about as good as it's going to get.

Ultimately, it's their money, so I'd like for them to decide instead of me deciding how it's used. Perhaps I can take a poll on my campaign site and ask people how they would like it spent. Not necessarily a majority mandate per se, but at least get some feedback.

[nayjevin]

That, of course, is the dilemma.



Yeah, that's probably about as good as it's going to get.

Ultimately, it's their money, so I'd like for them to decide instead of me deciding how it's used. Perhaps I can take a poll on my campaign site and ask people how they would like it spent. Not necessarily a majority mandate per se, but at least get some feedback.

oh ya you could just have a few different options and split the money up based on the number of votes for each.

[roho76]

I like this -- I would keep it in line with message by using the money to buy Constitutions for the blind or Bill of Rights posters for elementary schools or something like that.

If you can find something real creative, helpful to the community -- something that no one would be opposed to, and in line with your campaign issues -- it might be very effective.

I like this idea. Buy a pocket constitution and liberty minded educational materials for every child and school in your district.

[Working Poor]

AW Nick keep the money and work hard to make this country better

[nickcoons]

AW Nick keep the money and work hard to make this country better

It's not mine to keep; it's stolen loot.

[tekkierich]

I'm working on an angle, so humor me for a bit.

I oppose all taxes; I'm running for Congress; Congressmen are paid with tax money. Therefore, to implement my principles (if by some long shot I was elected), I cannot accept a salary. I'm fine with that.

The challenge is how to effectively do this. Simply refusing to take the physical paycheck won't do. The money will stay with the treasury and won't be returned to the people from which it was stolen. My goal would be to return the money to the taxpayers, my constituents.

The annual salary is about $160,000. There are about 600,000 people in my district. If half of them pay taxes, then that's about 50 cents per person. So I couldn't mail everyone a check.. I could barely pay for the stamps.

I could have an open invitation to anyone that wanted to come down to my office to get their money back because they didn't approve of me. Or perhaps I could limit it to people that didn't vote for me (and I'd take their word for it).

I understand that this is almost entirely symbolic. Few will care about the 50 cents. But it would seem that if I could go on stage and say, "I'm not taking a salary because I don't believe in taxes," that could be an interesting angle. I'm not sure if, "If I win and you didn't vote for me, I'll give you your money back," has the same impact.

The only reason to do it is out of principle. There are certainly more important things than a single congressman's salary to cut from the budget and return to the taxpayers. But perhaps it's too impractical to implement. Open to ideas...

So, how would you eat? Just curious. I think for a full time job that one is elected to and clearly outlined in the constitution it is entirely reasonable to make a salary in the current range. I want competent professional people to hold office. Often these folks have a mortgage and family to feed. I know myself, that I could not afford to be elected to congress with out a salary in the low six figures. If elected I would not be able to hold a job in my current profession, and my wife likely would also not be able to work due to the additional demands on my own time.

[nickcoons]

So, how would you eat? Just curious.

Without delving into my personal financial life, I'll just say that I'll manage.


I think for a full time job that one is elected to and clearly outlined in the constitution it is entirely reasonable to make a salary in the current range.

But elected by whom? By those that voted for me. Should I expect the people that voted for my opponent to pay my salary? Otherwise, I'm taking money from them that they didn't consent to give me.

I'd like to see constituents paying their congressmen voluntarily if they think he's doing a good job. If a candidate can raise $2 million to run for office, surely he can raise $200k (which is more than the congressional salary) from those he's representing if he's doing well. That's really not a whole lot; get 10,000 of your 600,000 constituents to give you $20.

The Sheriff's Posse in a small town here in AZ receives $50k/month in donations from their little retirement community (population 12,000).

[Icymudpuppy]

So, how would you eat? Just curious. I think for a full time job that one is elected to and clearly outlined in the constitution it is entirely reasonable to make a salary in the current range. I want competent professional people to hold office. Often these folks have a mortgage and family to feed. I know myself, that I could not afford to be elected to congress with out a salary in the low six figures. If elected I would not be able to hold a job in my current profession, and my wife likely would also not be able to work due to the additional demands on my own time.

Would you like me help you better manage your money? Unless you live in a very high income area like Manhattan or Beverly Hills, no way do you need six figures to pay a mortgage and support a family. A lot of people in this country do it for less than $25K/year. Accepting a low income doesn't make you incompetent.

Also, Congress is not supposed to be full time. The business of the Federal Government is only supposed to take a few weeks each year. When our founders went to congress, they took a few weeks in the winter before planting season to handle the constitutionally limited business of the federal government, then spent the rest of the year in their constituencies earning a normal living. It is a symptom of the bloated Federal Government that our congressmen do spend all year. Most of it in shady deals, backroom agreements, and campaigning.

[Carole]

ron paul returns it to the treasury. since the money is taxpayer money to begin with i think youre encoraging redistribution of wealth. dont get me wrong its just my opin. how about calling ron pauls office and asking them how they do it

Correction: Dr. Paul returns the pension portion to the treasury. He does not participate in this program. :)

Also unused Congressional funds he returns to the Treasury.