EDITORIAL:

Remember last summer how hard State Sen. Tom Harman worked with 13 other GOP senators to hold up the state budget to extract more spending cuts?

“Quite frankly, our state has a spending problem, and Senate Republicans stood firm against the overspending and misuse of the taxpayer’s money,” Harman said back then.

Now he’s got a new message as the state faces a potential $10 billion deficit next year. He deserves a pay hike and he doesn’t think that ought to be particularly interesting to you, the taxpayer.

Quite frankly, Tom, we disagree and we’d like it if our lawmakers kept in mind that we’re paying you to do your job.

And speaking of budgeting, Assemblyman Jim Silva wants you to know that he’s always lived within his means. As a school teacher before he got elected to office he made sure he didn’t overspend, he says.

That’s good. Conservative Orange County appreciates that sort of ethic.

But those words ring hollow when our lawmakers accept a $3,000 raise.

Silva’s justification for taking the pay bump sounds like he’s a hair’s breath away from having his power shut off.

“I know when I pay my bills they don’t say, ‘Well, you took a cut so we won’t increase your costs for food or insurance,’ ” Silva said.

He’s not alone.

In justifying his acceptance of the raise — while some of his colleagues have turned down the hike, citing state budget woes that could lead to service cuts — Newport Beach Assemblyman Chuck DeVore said: “I work very hard as a state assemblyman. This raise will go to make ends meet in the DeVore household. I work hard for the money.”

Where to start?

Well, how about with leadership?

Could the lawmakers have used more off-putting language to defend their positions? How does a family of four living on a household income of, say, $75,000 feel when they read that six-figure Silva — the average lawmaker makes roughly $116,000 and gets about $34,000 for living expenses — needs another $3,000 to put meat on the table?

In referencing disco singer Donna Summer’s famous line, could DeVore have provided material more suited for comic fodder? Probably not. Thankfully, he didn’t follow “I work hard for the money” with “so you better treat me right.”

Because, on this issue, we’d rather (figuratively, not literally) rough them all up.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has warned of a $10 billion budget deficit next year. Raises went into effect recently, but Schwarzenegger suggested lawmakers consider turning down the 2.75% increase.

Four state senators and nine assemblymen officially turned down the raise.

Meanwhile, representatives from Assemblyman Van Tran’s office said he will donate his raise to charity.

“We are the state with the highest-paid legislature in the nation,” said Dave Everett, district director for Tran’s office. “We already have a deficit in the budget and taking a pay raise now simply isn’t appropriate.”

Tran has not decided yet which charities he will donate his pay raise to, but will meet with his accountant to work out the details in January, Everett said.

Taxpayers still foot the bill for his raise and he gets a tax write-off, but, hey, at least the money goes to a good cause. And donating his raise to charity sends the right message to the citizenry. It’s the right move politically; but, more importantly, it’s the right move ethically and a clear sign of leadership in tough times.

Silva, Harman and DeVore could learn a lesson from their colleague.

And Harman, who refused to address those critical of lawmakers accepting raises while service cuts loom, couldn’t have been more wrong when he said:

“I don’t even think this is particularly newsworthy.”

We disagree. To borrow a time-worn phrase (and rewrite it a bit to avoid unnecessary name-calling): It’s the economy, fella.