Case About Alleged Unvouchered Expense Allowance for State Legislators

In Consumer Party of Pennsylvania v. Commonwealth, 510 Pa. 158, 507 A.2d 323 (1986), taxpayers sought declaratory, injunctive and monetary relief against alleged unconstitutional provisions of the Public Official Compensation Law (Compensation Law) Act of September 30, 1983, P.L. 160, as amended, 65 P.S. 366.1-366.5b. The challenged provisions established salary, expense and mileage amounts for state legislators, including an unvouchered expense allowance. The Supreme Court concluded that Article II, Section 8 of the Pennsylvania Constitution did not limit expenses of state legislators. The Court also concluded the taxpayers neither pled nor proved that the unvouchered expense allowance was in reality a veiled salary increase proscribed by the constitution.