Georgia legislators are taking another small pay cut to show they share the pain of the Great Recession along with their constituents, teachers and other state employees.

Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and House Speaker David Ralston announced that legislators and the two presiding officials will have six unpaid days through the remainder of this fiscal year that ends June 30. That will bring to 11 the total unpaid days for the entire fiscal year.

It amounts to three percent of annual salary, not exactly draconian.

It will be one day's pay of $47.51 per month through June, based on a legislator's annual salary of $17,341.68. Thus, the six unpaid days this year will total $285.06. Add the five unpaid days of 2009 and that will bring the total cut for this fiscal year to $522.61 per legislator.

Speaker Ralston's salary is $99,082, or $271.46 per day. So six more unpaid days will be $1,628.78 for a total cut of $2,986.06 this fiscal year for the Speaker.

Lt. Gov. Cagle draws $91,609 or $251 per day. He will give up an additional $1,506 for a total of $2,761 for the fiscal year, or 3 percent of his pay.

In their statement, Ralston and Cagle said: "As elected leaders, we must lead by example and we are not immune to the revenue shortfalls that are affecting our state and our families. That is why we are committed to doing our small part to balance the budget."

However, participation in the pay cut is voluntary, not mandatory. Nor do legislators actually vote on the question.

A legislator can opt out in writing - and that's what seven of them (none from Cobb County) did last year when then-Speaker Glenn Richardson initiated the one day a month furlough and Cagle followed suit.

But that may change.

Rep. Bobby Franklin (R-Marietta) has introduced a bill that would allow for mandatory cuts. "In the event of budgetary constraints," HB 869 would empower the joint House-Senate Legislative Services Committee to direct a reduction in salary for all legislators.

This 16-member committee includes the Speaker, the lieutenant governor and top committee chairmen along with the House clerk and secretary of the Senate, according to the Senate Web site. Under Franklin's bill, a two-thirds vote of the committee would be needed to cut legislators' pay.

HB 869 would also limit a salary cut "to not more than one day's pay per month" not to exceed six months, although "further authorization" for "one or more further periods of salary reduction" would be allowed.

It's not clear that Franklin, listed as the only sponsor of the bill, has the backing of House leaders. He could not be reached for comment yesterday.

But Speaker Ralston, who noted that pay cuts are voluntary now, said a bill was "working its way through the process," referring to HB 869. He said legislation might be needed to mandate future cuts, GPB News reported.

Absolutely. Mandate the cuts so long as teachers are furloughed.

dmckee9613@aol.com