Why is it there is such a disparity in what legislators get to pay their staff?

Population of each district is about the same and the amount of services offered should be about equal.  So why is it that freshmen get more money than some senior members?

For example:

Paul Costa only gets $91, 619 for his staff.

John Pallone only gets $101,437.

Jake Wheatley only gets $96,487 for his.

And poor Harry Readshaw, he only gets a mere $87,092.

While newcomers like Bennington gets $106,054, Gibbons gets $201,251, Kuntz gets $143, 955, Mahoney gets $125,734, and Smith gets $159,092

Is it that some staffers just don’t deserve any more?  Or is it because some constituents just don’t deserve the same level of service?  Maybe it’s because someone is being bought off by leadership.  But is that fair to all members or taxpayers?

Take a look at the following if you are interested in learning more:

Bennington, Lisa (D) - District 21

Total Salaries:  $106,054

Cost per constituent:  $1.89

 

Biancucci, Vince (D) - District 15

Total Salaries: $128,616

Cost per constituent: $2.13

 

Casorio, James (D) - District 56

Total Salaries:  $149,370

Cost per constituent:  2.47

 

Costa, Paul (D) - District 34 - Legislative Ass't

Total Salaries:  $91,619

Cost per constituent:  $1.51

 

Daley, Peter J. (D) - District 49

Total Salaries:  $226,430

Cost per constituent:  $3.74

 

DeLuca, Anthony M. (D) - District 32

Total Salaries:  $204,306

Cost per constituent:  $3.38

 

Dermody, Frank (D) - District 33

Total Salaries:  $259,859

Cost per constituent:  $4.30

 

DeWeese, William (D) - District 50

Total Salaries:  $611,084

Cost per constituent:  $10.10

 

Ellis, Brian (R) - District 11

Total Salaries:  $78,267

Cost per constituent:  $1.29

 

Frankel, Dan (D) - District 23

Total Salaries:  $230,030

Cost per constituent:  $3.80

 

Gergely, Marc (D) - District 35

Total Salaries:  $124,670

Cost per constituent:  $2.06

 

Gibbons, Jaret (D) - District 10

Total Salaries:  $201,251

Cost per constituent:  $3.33

 

Harhai, Ted (D) - District 58

Total Salaries:  $114,018

Cost per constituent:  $1.88

 

Hutchinson, Scott (R) - District 64

Total Salaries:  $79,612

Cost per constituent:  $1.32

 

Kortz, William (D) - District 38

Total Salaries:  $143,955

Cost per constituent:  $2.38

 

Kotik, Nick (D) - District 45

Total Salaries:  $133,146

Cost per constituent:  $2.20

 

Kula, Deberah (D) - District 52

Total Salaries:  $93,612

Cost per constituent:  $1.55

 

Levdansky, David K. (D) - District 39

Total Salaries:  $166,988

Cost per constituent:  $2.76

 

Longietti, Mark (D) - District 7

Total Salaries:  $110,344

Cost per constituent:  $1.82

 

Maher, John (R) - District 40

Total Salaries:  $73,158

Cost per constituent:  $1.21

 

Mahoney, Tim (D) - District 51

Total Salaries:  $125,734

Cost per constituent:  $2.08

 

Markosek, Joseph (D) - District 25

Total Salaries:  $189,077

Cost per constituent:  $3.13

 

Marshall, Jim (R) - District 14

Total Salaries:  $55,000

Cost per constituent:  0.91

 

McIlhattan, Fred (R) - District 63

Total Salaries:  $111,452

Cost per constituent:  $1.84

 

Metcalfe, Daryl (R) - District 12

Total Salaries:  $123,131

Cost per constituent:  $2.04

 

Mustio, Mark (R) - District 44

Total Salaries:  $91,150

Cost per constituent:  $1.51

 

Pallone, John (D) - District 54

Total Salaries:  $101,439

Cost per constituent:  $1.68

 

Petrarca, Joseph (D) - District 55

Total Salaries:  $215,617

Cost per constituent:  $3.56

 

Petrone, Thomas (D) - District 27

Total Salaries:  $181,256

Cost per constituent:  $3.00

Preston, Joseph (D) - District 24

Total Salaries:  $175,000

Cost per constituent:  $2.89

 

Pyle, Jeffrey (R) - District 60

Total Salaries:  $88,687

Cost per constituent:  $1.47

 

Ramaley, Sean (D) - District 16

Total Salaries:  $133,245

Cost per constituent:  $2.20

 

Readshaw, Harry (D) - District 36

Total Salaries:  $87,092

Cost per constituent:  $1.44

 

Reed, Dave (R) - District 62

Total Salaries:  $103,996

Cost per constituent:  $1.72

 

Sainato, Chris (D) - District 9

Total Salaries:  $128,292

Cost per constituent:  $2.12

 

Smith, Matthew (D) - District 42

Total Salaries:  $159,092

Cost per constituent:  $2.63

 

Smith, Sam (R) - District 66

Total Salaries:  $1,122,171

Cost per constituent:  $18.55

 

Solobay, Tim (D) - District 48

Total Salaries:  $159,978

Cost per constituent:  $2.64

 

Stairs, Jess (R) - District

Total Salaries:  $118,508

Cost per constituent:  $1.96

Stevenson, Richard (R) - District 8

Total Salaries:  $91,477

Cost per constituent:  $1.51

 

Tangretti, Thomas (D) - District 57

Total Salaries:  $186,472

Cost per constituent:  $3.08

 

Turzai, Mike (R) - District 28

Total Salaries:  $204,698

Cost per constituent:  $3.38

 

Vulakovich, Randy (R) - District 30

Total Salaries:  $91,839

Cost per constituent:  $1.52

 

Wagner, Chelsa (D) - District 22

Total Salaries:  $105,986

Cost per constituent:  $1.75

 

Walko, Don (D) - District 20

Total Salaries:  $137,742

Cost per constituent:  $2.28

 

Wheatley, Jake (D) - District 19

Total Salaries:  $96,847

Cost per constituent:  $1.60

 

White, Jesse (D) - District 46

Total Salaries:  $99,700

Cost per constituent:  $1.65

 

Yewcic, Tom (D) - District 72

Total Salaries:  $106,050

Cost per constituent:  $1.75