PORTLAND, Ore. — Four days have passed since a group of Republican lawmakers left Salem, in an effort to block a vote to pass a $2 billion tax plan aimed at helping fund Oregon's struggling schools.
We wanted to Verify: Are these lawmakers still getting paid?
Out of 12 Republican state senators, 11 left the Capitol in protest Tuesday morning, and haven't been back since. That's four days of work -- simply not being done.
Every Oregon lawmaker gets a per diem of $142, which totals to about $24,000 annual salary.
KGW confirmed lawmakers who walked out of the Capitol earlier this week are still getting paid - meaning that taxpayers are footing the bill for their salaries this week; a total of $6,248 so far.
Political analysts say they'll be watching to see if any of these senators file for mileage expenses when they do eventually show up to work.
They also say it's important to use perspective and balance that cost with what Republicans are trying to prevent or modify - a $1 billion per year business tax increase.
And even though they're getting paid to boycott the work we elected them to do, it appears to be getting results.
Democrats introduced a bill Friday calling for PERS reform, which is what Republicans have called for all along.
Republicans say they'll be back Monday, but only time will tell.
We can Verify: Yes, Republican lawmakers who left the Capitol in protest earlier this week are getting paid.
>>Do you have something you'd like us to Verify? Email Verify@kgw.com with your question!
