Bernstine Announces “No Perks” Pledge

Republican State House candidate Aaron Bernstine today signed a “No Perks Pledge,” vowing to turn down the costly extras which members of the general assembly have charged taxpayers as a way to pad their incomes.

Bernstine said he won’t accept a taxpayer-leased automobile, will reject the lavish defined-benefits state pension career lawmakers enjoy, and will turn down the no-receipt expense accounts called per diems that pay lawmakers an extra $159 for each day the legislature is in session.

Incumbent State Rep. Jaret Gibbons was recently identified in a news report as the second-costliest user of per diems in the entire House during 2015. Gibbons ran up $29,573 in per diems during a time period that included the state’s nine-month budget standoff, according to Harrisburg television station ABC27.

“I would like to challenge Rep. Gibbons to reform himself and sign the same pledge,” Bernstine said. “But it also would mean he should pay back the tens of thousands of extra taxpayer dollars he used to pad his $85,338.65-a-year salary.”

The Bernstine “No Perks Pledge” includes the following commitments:

• No per diem expense account. Bernstine has pledged to bill only for legitimate expenses and submit receipts so voters can keep track of not only how much their legislator is submitting for reimbursement, but why.

 

• No taxpayer-financed state pension. Bernstine has pledged to term limit himself and has promised to decline a state pension. The current defined-benefit state pension system surpasses the retirement benefits available to most taxpayers.

 

• No taxpayer leased car. Bernstine has pledged to keep track of his business mileage and not accept the state-leased car provided to legislators.