While salaries for lawmakers have remained frozen at $31,140.90 for a decade, legislators have found other ways to boost their take-home pay. They have boosted their daily allowances, known as per diem, by $40 in the Senate and $21 in the House during the last 10 years. Hamline University Professor David Schultz, an expert in government ethics, said this amounts to a backdoor salary increase.

"They have basically come up with a sort of subterfuge, kind of a hidden way of supplementing their income, which is basically by using the per diem," he said.

Some legislators claim upwards of $35,000, outpacing their annual salary. Lawmakers receive per diem seven days a week during the legislative session. They are also eligible for per diem during a special session and outside of session on days they attend a committee meeting. 

You can look up your legislator's earnings at the Post-Bulletins' database. Here are the per diem earnings of our three DFL SD45 legislators. Keep in mind that they are only about 20 miles from the Capitol and live in a first-ring suburb of Minneapolis.

Rep. Lyndon Carlson (D) 45-B

• 2009: $14,443.79 (he knows we're watching! -Ed)
  
• 2008: $18,491.21
• 2007: $19,808.72

Rep. Sandra Peterson (D) 45-A:

• 2009: $10,179.94
• 2008: $8,826.30
• 2007: $11,525.23

Sen. Ann Rest (D) 45:

• 2009: $17,996.20
• 2008: $20,775.06
• 2007: $25,590.23