Sixteen MLAs out of a job after last night's election aren't leaving empty-handed says the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

Nine veteran MLAs who have served 12 years or longer will each gather $66,000 for losing their job. Another seven will get anywhere from $22,000 to $49,000 for leaving their posts. Regardless of whether an MLA voluntarily chooses to leave office, loses an election, or even dies, they receive a "transition allowance" of one month for every year they spent in office.

"These transition allowances are, in fact, severance payments," says Lee Harding, Saskatchewan director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. "Either an MLA was forced out by the electorate for good reason or walked away from the job. So why should they receive severance "

Last year, the CTF advised the 2006 MLA Indemnity Review that the MLA transition allowance be eliminated. The review panel was not given a mandate to make this change, but it did decide to raise MLA wages. This was despite the fact that legislators already made more money than 90 percent of Saskatchewan residents. Representatives in the coming term will make $82,110, instead of the $71,648 they made previously.

"The transition allowance is a mandatory severance package, pure and simple. I hope that Brad Wall's pledge to make government more accountable and responsible will move him to eliminate this unnecessary and costly perk," said Harding.