This page will include current issues that the mainstream media tend to ignore, thus keeping Alaskans in the dark.
When a person gets elected to the State Legislature, he/she usually has to make sacrifices to include leaving family, temporarily leaving a job, and putting up with some marginal living conditions. But those legislators also get fairly well compensated in both salary and per diem. The annual salary for a legislator is $50,400 with the Senate President and House Speaker receiving an additional $500. Not bad for a 120 day session. But there are additional special sessions which usually occur throughout the year as well.
The per diem a legislator gets is to compensate for housing, food and miscellaneous expenses. During the 2020 session, a legislator collected $302/day, except for those legislators from Juneau that received no per diem because that is their home. So for a 30 day month most legislators receive $9090.00. Much of this per diem benefits the economy of Juneau, especially those who rent to the legislators. Remember, per diem by Federal law is tax free.
Legislators also receive a relocation allowance to move their personal possessions to Juneau. The average total two year cost for a legislator is $126,589.
We have obtained the per diem, relocation expenses, office expenses, and salary information for all legislators in 2019 and 2020. Here are the top 5 highest cost legislators in each body for those 2 years (these are costs to the State):
Senate
Senator Olson, $186,226
Senator Stevens, $164,271
Senator Stedman, $142,183
Senator Hoffman, $138,453
Senator Wilson, $136,786