x
Breaking News
More () »

Panel will decide if state lawmakers get pay raises

New York State legislators, elected officials and department heads could get a pay raise if a panel made up of former and current comptrollers decides to give them a pay hike.

BUFFALO, N.Y. - The four-member panel met in New York City on Tuesday afternoon for less than an hour. The independent commission on legislative pay is considering whether or not state legislators and statewide elected officials and department heads should get their first raise in over 20-years.

The four committee members are current and former comptrollers. According to H. Carl McCall, a member of the panel, the group will not recommend, but decide if state lawmakers get a pay increase.

"Anything in our report with respect to changes in compensation, automatically becomes law. We're not making a recommendation about increases we're actually making increases. The legislature could change that, which means if we make a report on the tenth of December and the legislature and the Governor don't like the report, they can change it if they have a session between the 10th of December and the 31st of December," said the former state comptroller.

They panel needs to decide by December 10 if they will or will not give lawmakers a pay increase. State lawmakers currently make $79,500. The panel will consider seven factors as they weigh hiking lawmakers pay, including the overall economic climate of the state, the rate of inflation, and changes in public sector spending. McCall said, "The levels of compensation as they might be compared to comparable professions in government, academia and the private, non-profit enterprises" will be reviewed and they will look at the ability to attract talent and competition with comparable private sector positions and the state's ability to pay.

Two meetings will be held later this month where the public can comment. The meetings will be held in Albany on November 28 and in New York City on November 30. The public can participate or submit questions using the panel' interactive website.

Here are the members of the panel: former NYS Comptroller H. Carl McCall, NYS Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer and CUNY Board of Trustees Chairman Bill Thompson.

Before You Leave, Check This Out