In today’s N&O “Under the Dome” feature, I learned that legislators are paid a per diem for each day of the session unless they submit a form requesting no payment. Presumably, lawmakers do this when they are not in Raleigh or not working on state business.

Key passage from the story:

During the session, legislators receive their daily allowance for food and lodging every day, whether or not they come to Raleigh. Legislators must tell legislative staff if they want the money to stop.

Invariably, some lawmakers don’t turn in their forms and thus receive payment when it is otherwise not due. This is the larger “gotcha” point of today’s article and the guilty are named. It would stand to reason that there would be fewer “forgotten” forms if the default rules were simply reversed.

Why don’t we ask legislators to sign a form that affirms they did work, it was a legitimate legislative day and they are due the per diem? The default should be no payment unless the lawmaker asks for it. Currently, the state spends money unless the lawmaker asks for it to stop.

Granted, given the status quo rules the amount of money is underwhelming in light of the state’s budget. But the signal it sends to the public is clear, and unambiguously wrong. Lawmakers work for us, they are not entitled.