Lawmakers on the north shore say they’ve heard little else from their constituents other than talk about the legislative pay raise over the past few weeks and they are hoping now that Governor Jindal has vetoed the measure, that people will concentrate more on the positives they think came out of the session.

Freshman Representative Steve Pugh of Ponchatoula voted yes, and said he was not prepared for the reaction.

"I balanced out all the pros and cons to it, and I thought it was the best thing,” he said. “I did not realize the backlash of it, but soon learned."

Mandeville Senator Jack Donahue said he heard the criticism too, and he voted ‘no’ to the pay raise.

“I did get some attacks, even though I didn't vote for it, and I signed a voucher saying I wouldn't accept it,” he said. “I had people mad at me just because they were mad at the legislature.”

Right now there are petitions to recall five different legislators on file with the Secretary of State's Office.  One of those petitions would recall Pugh. 

For that petition to move forward, one third of the registered voters would have to sign that petition.  That would be roughly 10,000 signatures.

Pugh said the criticism is difficult to take.

“As a hometown guy in Ponchatoula, born and raised, Ponchatoula is my heart. It bothers you.”

Neither Pugh nor Donahue anticipate a legislative backlash towards Jindal because of the veto.

Both hope the veto will allow people to focus on the good done in this legislative session. Donahue said despite some ugliness, it was interesting to see the public get involved actively in an issue.

"Listen, it was a wonderful process. I don't like all the ugly things that happened, but the process is, the people of Louisiana really run Louisiana, and I like that, that's what it's about."