Politician's complaint can easily backfire

© St. Petersburg Times,
published October 28, 2001

As is so often the case with state Rep. Nancy Argenziano, it's not so much what she does as how she does it.

The latest outburst from the District 43 legislator, who has made her reputation as an in-your-face straight talker who is not afraid to cross the party bosses in Tallahassee, came last week when the Legislature convened in special session to erase a $1.3-billion budget deficit.

One proposal, which passed, was to save about $80,000 by cutting the 2.5 percent pay raises House members gave themselves this year. For Argenziano, that meant her annual salary would drop from $28,608 to $27,900.

Argenziano offered an amendment to the bill that would have left it up to each lawmaker to decide whether to accept or reject the pay raise. The state job is her only source of income, Argenziano argued, and she needs the money. But the animated fast-talker took that line of reasoning a step farther, in her own contrary way, by reminding her colleagues that many of them were richer than she.

"I'm not a doctor. I'm not a lawyer. I made a promise to my constituents to work full time at this," Argenziano said. "I'm going to be 47 years old and I don't want to be a bag lady."

The clear inference was that she, because it is her only paying job, was more like her constituents, and that her colleagues were out of touch with working folks. Her accusation was a generalization and unfair to a few of her colleagues of modest means, but for the most part she was right on. The majority of the people we send to Tallahassee have independent financial means, and most people would classify them as well-off. Besides, they're politicians. Who cares if they resent Argenziano's remark?

The people who really should be offended by what she said are the ones who make ends meet on $27,900 or less.

Lots of folks in her district, which includes all of Citrus County, manage to raise families on less than what she makes. The annual median household income in Citrus was only $29,346 in 1999, the last year for which figures are available, and that's usually the combined wage of two working adults. To compare their plight to "bag ladies" (or any homeless person, for that matter) and all the stigma attached to that unfortunate station in life, is insensitive. It also contradicts the point Argenziano was trying to make about her well-heeled colleagues and how there should be more "average citizens" like her in the House.

Argenziano's amendment was tabled and, by a vote of 104-7, the representatives will forgo their pay raises this year. In terms of reducing the deficit, it's a spit in the ocean. But even though it was shameless posturing, it's difficult to fault as a symbolic gesture.

The lesson to be learned here is an old one and applies to everyone, but goes double for elected officials: If you are tempted to complain about how much -- or little -- you make, don't. No matter what you say, you're bound to offend someone.

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