Saving Money One Office Budget at a Time

[XLFD]

Unfortunately, the idea of being frugal with the budgets of public officials has not been embraced by too many people.  Both senators of Kentucky this last year, however, have given back over $1.5 million dollars of money back to the Treasury, money that has been earmarked for the budgets of their office, and went unspent. 

What a refreshing idea.  For those who have not dealt with such public budgets, the typical method of dealing with having a lot left in your share of the budget is to spend it all, even if you don't really need to.  If you don't, the accountants of the budget may assign you less to work with next year-- and you might need it next year.  This thinking is the cause of a lot of redundant and superfluous government purchases each year. 

Here's hoping this trend becomes widespread, and Senator Rand Paul's proposed legislation makes it more likely others will follow his lead.

 

Rand Paul gives treasury $500,000 saved from office expenses

 

U.S. Sen. Rand Paul announced Thursday that he will return to the federal treasury $500,000 of his office budget that was not used.

Paul, a Republican from Bowling Green, is a staunch proponent of federal spending cuts, but he said many of his efforts to reduce spending through legislation have failed to pass Congress.

“This is the one thing I have control over,” Paul said during a news conference at the St. Matthews Community Center on Ten Pin Lane off of Shelbyville Road.

This month, Paul intends to propose legislation that would offer incentives to civil servants, such as bonuses, for doing something similar — leaving a portion of their budgets unspent, he said.

Such a plan could save federal money without cutting the services provided, Paul contends.

He said the savings came through judicious spending for office equipment, such as computers, and the hiring of his Senate staff.

He has 12 staff members in Kentucky and about 15 in Washington, D.C., which is similar to other U.S. senators, he said. Paul said his staff’s pay is also commensurate with the offices of other senators, but that his office has been frugal in making job and salary offers.

Paul said his staff has still managed to be active in preparing legislation and other tasks, despite his self-imposed spending limits.

“We are doing our job, but still saving money,” Paul said.

The $500,000 saving is from his first year in office, and Paul said he intends to continue his frugal office spending throughout his six-year term. But the amount may be less in the future, because he intends to give staff pay increases, he said. Still, Paul said the savings over his entire term could total “well over a million” dollars.

Paul said he was “sort of aghast” when told he got $3 million for the year for his office. The amount was a reduction from previous years, and Paul said he supports further reducing the amount given to senators and House members for their offices.

Paul estimated that similar efforts to his by every senator and House member could save the federal government more than $100 million a year.

But, he said, “When it’s someone else’s money, people look at it like it’s free and they don’t look at it in a frugal way.”

The savings are in keeping with Paul’s other stances, he said. During the news conference, he suggested a cease to advertising for programs such as free lunches in schools and food stamps. Paul also suggested gradually raising the age of eligibility for Social Security for younger people, and applying means testings that would reduce Social Security for people with higher incomes.

Robert Steurer, a spokesman for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Paul’s fellow Kentucky Republican, said: “As a responsible steward of taxpayer dollars, Sen. McConnell has returned taxpayer funds every year he's been in office. Given the massive debt crisis facing the country, this past year Sen. McConnell led by example sending back over a million dollars.”

Stephen George, a spokesman for U.S. Rep. John Yarmuth, said the Louisville Democrat’s office returned $70,000 of its allotted $1.4 million office budget this year. George also noted that Yarmuth donates his salary — $174,000 this year — to local charities.

On national matters, Paul said he hasn’t thought about whether he would consider being the running mate to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, should Romney win the Republican presidential nomination.

Paul said he likes taking part in the debate of national issues and is interested in ways he could further fiscally conservative policies. But he also said he hasn’t decided to seek a second term to the Senate in 2016.

He added, “I’m still supporting that guy from Texas. We’re going to see how well he does, and he’s doing pretty well.”

“That guy from Texas” is his father, U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, who is seeking the Republican presidential nomination. The elder Paul finished second to Romney in this week’s New Hampshire primary and third to Romney and former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum in last week’s Iowa caucuses.

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20120112/NEWS01/301120051/Ra...

[AQUAMAN]

Leading by example, now that's what those guys are supposed to be doing, and Paul is a shining example. Hope it becomes contagious.

[Willy]

I applaud his efforts but it amazes me how many staff member are assigned to each representative. The huge amount of money it takes to run a Congresspersons office is staggering and they still don't have time to read the Bills they pass.