comment: >
  
  Ah, I Googled in a hurry and may have misinterpreted. My bad, thanks for the correction. 
  The overall point still stands - hell, even worse, I'm not sure I'd be willing to go to Austin and listen to our political leaders run their mouths off for six months at a mere $7,200.
context: It's because they can't afford to run or live off the income.    Most local and town government elected positions, which would be stepping stones to state legislatures and beyond, are part time and pay little to nothing which requires you to hold a full time job on the side.    I would love the opportunity to help run my community, but I can't afford it.    This opens the door to the already rich, or... concessions to donors who are paying for their vote.    It doesn't help that we as a society have been brainwashed to believe politicians are overpaid, so we vote against any politician who supports pay raises, which leaves us with those who don't need the money in charge. >
  
  Texas' state legislature meets every other year from early January to late May. Pay for a full two year term in the legislature is $45,000 ($22,500/yr).
  That's not a living wage, especially with the need to live in your district while also spending six months every two years in Austin. At the same time, good luck leaving your day job for six months every other year to go serve in the legislature. 
  It's basically a system designed to make it impossible for a normal person to serve in the legislature, even if they could somehow get elected. >
  
  
  Texas' state legislature meets every other year from early January to late May. Pay for a full two year term in the legislature is $45,000 ($22,500/yr).
  
  Where are you getting this number? I'm seeing it come up here as median House chamber salary, but that's for staffers and not members. NCSL has base legislative pay for Texas at an even lower $7.2k a term, although the $221/day per-diem does bring that up to a bit under $30k (assuming no special sessions in that 2 year period and that the per-diem isn't paid for weekends).
  But at least their mileage reimbursement clause has a separate line for aircraft fuel. Lol.