This year will be a very merry Christmas for New York State politicians!
Senate and Assembly members rushed to Albany for an emergency session today and voted to make themselves the highest paid legislators in the nation. Their self-approved raises must be signed by Governor Kathy Hochul before going into effect next weekend.
State legislators decided to give themselves a $32,000 per year raise, boosted their annual salaries to a whopping $142,000. They will also be entitled to rake in an additional $35,000 per year while moonlighting at other jobs.
The Senate approved their raise by a 33-23 vote, with five senators excused from the vote.
The Assembly’s Ways and Means Committee approved their raise by a 21-8 vote, while the Assembly’s Rules Committee approved it 18-7.
A state legislator in California makes $119,072. In comparison, a New York legislator covering deeply rural areas in the Adirondacks will now make $23,000 more than a California legislator covering Los Angeles. With this raise, California legislators now drop to the second highest paid in the nation.
In neighboring New Jersey, their state legislators make $49,000 a year, compared to New York legislators who will make $142,000.
Senator James Skoufis, who covers the Newburgh area, declared, “At a time when many New Yorkers are struggling to keep food on the table and care for their families, voting for a 29% salary increase on the taxpayers’ dime is unjustifiable, at best.”
Yesterday, Skoufis vowed to vote against the raises prior to heading to Albany. Today, he followed through on his word and voted against it. “I will be casting a ‘no’ vote on the proposed lawmaker pay raise because I can’t in good conscience support this proposal on the backs of my Orange County neighbors,” Skoufis said yesterday. “Constituents in my new Senate District voted to send me back to Albany to fight for them, and that’s what I intend to do.”
Senator George Borrello, who also voted against their raise, pointed out that recent political candidates made no mention that this raise was in the works until after last month’s election.
“What state residents have said they wanted in poll after poll was for legislators to return to Albany to fix the dangerous mess they’ve made of our criminal justice system,” Borrello observed. “Instead, they pursued their own selfish agenda by passing legislation that will put legislators’ pay at nearly double the median household income for New York families.”
Below is a list of how each legislator voted:
NEW YORK STATE SENATE:
IN FAVOR:
Joseph Addabbo, Jamaal Bailey, Alessandra Biaggi, Neil Breslin, Jabari Brisport, Samra Brouck, Cordell Cleare, Leroy Comrie, Jeremy Cooney, Simcha Felder, Michael Gianaris, Andrew Gounardes, Pete Harckham, Michelle Hinchey, Brad Hoylman, Robert Jackson, Brian Kavanagh, Liz Krueger, Rachel May, Shelley Mayer, Zellnor Myrie, Kevin Parker, Roxanne Persaud, Jessica Ramos, Gustavo Rivera, Sean Ryan, Julia Salazar, James Sanders, Diane Savino, Jose Serrano, Toby Stavinsky, Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and Kevin Thomas.
OPPOSED:
George Borrello, John Brooks, James Gaughran, Joseph Griffo, Pamela Helming, Daphne Jordan, Timothy Kennedy, Andrew Lanza, John Liu, John Mannion, Mike Martucci, Mario Mattera, Thomas O’Mara, Peter Oberacker, Robert Ortt, Anthony Palumbo, Edward Rath, Elijah Reichlin-Melnick, Sue Serino, James Skoufis, Daniel Stec, James Tedisco, and Alexis Weik.
EXCUSED:
Fred Akshar, Patrick Gallivan, Anna Kaplan, Patty Ritchie, and Luis Sepulveda.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY – “WAYS & MEANS” AND “RULES” COMMITTEES:
IN FAVOR:
Jeffrion Aubry, Michael Benedetto, Rodneyse Bichotte, Edward Braunstein, Harry Bronson, Kevin Cahill, William Colton, Vivian Cook, Erik Dilan, Inez Dickens, Jeffrey Dinowitz, Deborah Glick, Richard Gottfried, Alicia Hyndman, Latoya Joyner, Charles Lavine, William Magnarelli, John McDonald, Amy Paulin, Crystal Peoples-Stokes, Gary Pretlow, Rebecca Seawright, Fred Thiele, Latrice Walker, Helene Weinstein, David Weprin, and Kenneth Zebrowski.
OPPOSED:
Jake Ashby, William Barclay, Ken Blankenbush, Karl Brabenec, Michael Fitzpatrick, Joseph Giglio, Stephen Hawley, Michael Norris, Philip Palmesano, and Edward Ra.
EXCUSED:
Kevin Byrne, Michael Cusick, Maritza Davila, Steve Englebright, Carl Heastie, Donna Lupardo, Catherine Nolan, Phil Ramos, and Nily Rozic.
