Lincoln vs. Pryor: A tale of staffer salaries

You may find it interesting to know which of these two Democrats has been more creative, and even more conservative in the use of your tax dollars when it comes to their staff salaries. Don't get me wrong, legislative work is tough and I don't mind folks earning a decent living. But let's take a look at who is being the better fiscal conservative here:

For the 2nd half of FY 2009 Senator Blanche Lincoln employed 46 staffers plus 1 intern for a total of 47 paid positions.

The salary total for those 47 people equals $1,379,645

For the same time period Senator Mark Pryor employed 57 staffers plus 24 interns for a total of 81 paid positions.

The salary total for those 81 people equals $1,387,538

For around $8,000 more, Senator Pryor employed 34 more people. Including 23 more interns and 11 more regular or part time staff.

As a former congressional intern I understand the immense value an internship adds to your resume. I would not be doing the work I am doing today without having had that experience.

Not only is Senator Pryor giving fantastic opportunities to college students, he is taking advantage of his ability to emply these interns and provide expanded service to the state while keeping salaries within reason.

I cannot say I am a fan of Senator Pryor's political ideology but I want to commend him for this creative and conservative use of our tax dollars. Well done!