What a Deputy spends and earns

A deputy receives 27,000 francs per year. or 2,250 francs per month. In reality, Excelsior points out, he only receives 2,120 francs net.

First, he is subject to a deduction for retirement, which is 50 francs or 100 francs per month, depending on whether he sets aside a pension of 1,800 or 3,000 francs. He is only entitled to this pension after eight years in office and fifty-five years of age. If he ceases to be a deputy in the meantime, he must continue to pay the required monthly payment, even if he has already served the two essential legislatures.
A second deduction is made for the refreshment bar and the railways, a deduction which amounts to 336 francs per year.
To this compulsory collection must be added the gratuities to the head of the Chamber boys, to the ushers, to the postmen, the cloakroom expenses, the telephone, etc., expenses which currently amount to about 150 francs.
Correspondence expenses are generally very heavy. There is no deputy who, on this subject, does not spend at least 10 francs per day. This is therefore an approximate expenditure of 4,000 francs for the year. This is a minimum, because some deputies whose correspondence is particularly voluminous, exceed the figure of 20,000 francs.
There is also the question of secretaries; this, however, is variable, because if some parliamentarians sometimes have two, three and even four collaborators, there are on the other hand who do all their work themselves. Depending on the importance of their functions, secretaries are paid from 150 to 600 francs per month.
The most onerous thing for a deputy, the thing that weighs most heavily on his budget, are the solicitations to which he is constantly subjected, either from needy compatriots or from societies or charities. The smallest donation, the smallest subscription is at least 20 francs. We know of a deputy who, each year, devotes to orpheonic, sports, musical and other societies, a sum of 2,000 francs.