nassau otb employees say hell no

Next week will be the first meeting of the legislative pay commission, which was created by the legislature earlier this year. It will make a recommendation on how lawmakers should be compensated going forward. 

Members of the legislature currently earn a $79,500 base salary and haven’t had a pay increase since 1999.

State Comptroller Tom DNapoli is a member of the pay commission.

"I don’t think it’s unreasonable to say we have to deal with the issue," DiNapoli said. "I’m not sure the way it was rushed laid it out in the best way possible, but hey we have a job to do, and I’m sure we will do it."

Earlier this year, as the state budget was being negotiated in secret by legislative leaders and the governor in Albany, a last-minute item got shoved into the budget that established the pay commission. The idea was to take politics out of the decision-making process. 

The recommendations of the commission will be binding, assuming the legislature does not pass a law saying otherwise.

"This pay commission, this pay crisis has been going on for 20 years. That’s the last time there was a pay increase in the legislature," said City Comptroller Scott Stringer. "So yes, there is a lot of politics to this. No one is ever going to be satisfied."

There have also been discussions about ending lawmakers' ability to earn outside income, although that would likely require a constitutional amendment.

City Council members gave themselves a significant pay raise two years ago, but banned outside income as part of the deal.

Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie has been advocating for a pay raise for his members, but says the commission will not tackle the thornier issues dealing with outside income.

"The commission’s really only charge is, determine what is fair pay for the legislature, the statewides and the governor's commissioners as well," Heastie said.

The pay commission will have its first meeting on Tuesday. It will then lay out a timeline for condensed schedule of public hearings. Its recommendations are due to the legislature by December 10.