Amie Parnes: Lawmakers OK raises for selves, assets aside

WASHINGTON — Lawmakers in the U.S. House voted to give themselves a cost of living increase in salary Wednesday, but financial disclosure reports released this week indicate many already bring in hundreds of thousands of dollars in assets each year.

Southwest Florida Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, for example, reported assets from $100,001 to $250,000 for a condo he owns in North Miami Beach. But the Miami Republican who represents part of Collier County also has several liabilities, including a boat loan of $15,001 to $50,000. He also took out a line of credit from $15,001 to $50,000.

Rep. Connie Mack, a Fort Myers Republican, filed an extension on the reports and is expected to submit them by mid-July, Mack's chief of staff Jeff Cohen said Friday.

Meanwhile, Florida's senators are faring quite well themselves in the net worth.

Financial disclosure reports indicate the assets of Sens. Mel Martinez and Bill Nelson are more than $1 million.

Nelson, a Democrat up for re-election later this year, reported assets of $1.8 million to $7.4 million. Florida's senior senator has received from $660,000 to $1.4 million from property sales and securities.

Martinez, the freshman Republican, has a net worth of $2.8 million to $4 million. He also received more than $67,055 from La-Z-Boy Corp.

The Heat is on at Capitol

This week, members of the Florida delegation were spotted with the latest fashion accessory on the Hill: beads. Black and orange Miami Heat beads to be specific.

Rep. Kenderick Meek, D-Miami, handed out the beads to members of the delegation after the Heat lost two games last week.

The Mardi Gras-type beads seemed to bring the team luck. The Heat have won both games since heading into game five Sunday.

Diaz-Balart has been seen sporting the beads around the Capitol. And just to ensure visitors don't forget his roots, the lawmaker also has another string of beads hanging in the reception area of his congressional office.

'Best and brightest'

Martinez is the best and the brightest, according to the American Conservative Union, a grass-roots lobby.

The organization gave Martinez its "2005 Best and Brightest" award for the Florida junior senator's "commitment to ideological conservatism."

Martinez was one of 12 senators and 38 congressmen recognized.

"As many increasingly question what it means to be a conservative today — especially in the face of an exploding and encroaching federal government — Sen. Martinez held fast to ACU's core values of fiscal discipline and limited government," said David A. Keene, ACU chairman. "Unmoved by shifting poll numbers and the Potomac temptations to make headlines and put power over principle, Sen. Martinez deserves our respect, our admiration and our vote."