State Senator George Borrello is criticizing a pay raise approved by the State Legislature for themselves.
The legislation authorized a $32,000 pay raise for members of the New York State Legislature.
Borrello said the increase means New York State legislators will be the highest paid in the country at $142,000.
Democratic leaders defended the pay increase as necessary, calling their colleagues hard-working public officials who should earn pay that’s competitive with the New York City Council.
But critics, including most Republicans, blasted the pay hike as unconscionable and tone deaf amid spiking inflation and recessionary concerns for most New Yorkers. The measure was approved in a largely party-line vote in both chambers.
Lawmakers did approve a measure capping their outside pay, though there are exceptions for pensions and investment income.
Borrello said legislation capping outside pay will make Albany worse, saying in a statement it would discourage, “…enterprising, accomplished individuals with real-world experience from entering public service and moving closer to eradicating the ‘citizen legislator’ – that individual who serves, not for a hefty salary, but because they want to contribute to their state. The end result will be more ‘professional politicians’ and more out-of-touch policies that hurt New Yorkers.”
The limit of $35,000 of outside income will take effect by 2025.
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