The New York Times-20080124-In a Time of Belt-Tightening- Spitzer Is Said to Agree to a Raise for Legislators
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In a Time of Belt-Tightening, Spitzer Is Said to Agree to a Raise for Legislators
Gov. Eliot Spitzer has agreed to a pay raise for legislators, even as he has called for cuts elsewhere to help close a $4.4 billion deficit, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver has told Assembly Democrats.
Mr. Silver passed the word to the legislators at a private meeting in the Capitol on Tuesday as the governor unveiled his budget proposal for the coming fiscal year.
Mr. Spitzer's budget called only for raises for state judges, but Mr. Silver told lawmakers the governor would send a bill to the Legislature by the end of next month that included raises for senators and Assembly members, according to several legislators who were present. Mr. Silver's staff members disputed only the timing, saying the speaker was hopeful but not certain the governor would make his proposal by next month.
It was not known how large the raise would be. Mr. Silver has previously proposed a 21 percent increase, and Mr. Spitzer's budget proposed a 24 percent increase for judges.
The pay for the state's 212 legislators is now the third-highest in the nation. Their base salary is $79,500, but they can earn more than $100,000 with various bonuses for committee or leadership posts. Their pay has not been increased since 1999.
Mr. Spitzer's move underscores the degree to which the once reform-focused governor is taking a more accommodating approach this year after spending much of last year mired in controversy.
Asked about the pay raise late Wednesday, Jeffrey Gordon, a spokesman for the administration, spoke of the plan only generally: The governor has publicly expressed his hope that this matter can be resolved and said that he looks forward to working with the leaders on this issue.
Mr. Silver said in an interview Wednesday that he did not know how the raise would be structured and would not say whether the governor was seeking support for any part of his agenda in return, but he did say the governor also wanted to raise the pay of state commissioners. For much of last year, the governor sought legislative approval for his proposal to overhaul campaign finance laws in exchange for his support of a pay raise.
Mr. Spitzer's offer could create a tricky situation for lawmakers, and the move could reflect a bit of political gamesmanship by the governor.
Since Republicans hold just a two-seat edge in the Senate in an election year when an energized Democratic turnout is widely expected, they may be reluctant to approve a raise for themselves that could turn into a campaign issue for their challengers.
Democrats hold so large a majority in the Assembly -- 108 to 42 -- that they have no such concerns. On the other hand, relatively few Senate races are likely to be hotly contested, so a majority of the senators might find it hard to pass up a pay raise. They could avoid a reaction at the polls by scheduling a vote on the measure after the November election.
Complicating the picture is the worsening economic situation in New York. It's not a great time to be giving a raise, said Elizabeth Lynam, deputy research director of the Citizens Budget Commission, a watchdog group, and an unpaid adviser to a new property tax commission created by the governor.
Certainly there are layoffs being announced at a lot of private sector firms and probably more on the way, and they've talked about selective hiring, keeping the head count under control and a possible hiring freeze, she said.
In the interview, Mr. Silver declined to give details of his conversations with the governor or the Assembly members, but he did say he and the governor had discussed a bill that would raise salaries for lawmakers and state commissioners as well as judges.
The governor has his own interests, commissioners basically, and we will do a comprehensive pay bill, the speaker said. He has trouble attracting people, and he's promised people raises. So I said I believe before too long he would send us a comprehensive bill. We've had a lot of discussions.
After Mr. Silver's interview, his spokesman, Dan Weiller, emphasized that the speaker had not told members that the governor would definitely submit a proposal by the end of February. When Mr. Silver discussed the matter with the legislators, Mr. Weiller said, he referred to the possibility that the amended raise might appear in amendments to the budget the governor's office traditionally submits within 21 days.
He was talking about the possibility it would be in the 21-day amendments, not that it would definitely happen by the end of February, Mr. Weiller said. Shelly was not specific about the time frame.
Because Mr. Silver is known in Albany for speaking cautiously, what pronouncements he does make are followed with intense interest in the capital.
One Assembly Democrat, speaking on condition of anonymity because the meeting was closed, said of the speaker: The fact he told us must mean he's pretty confident about it.
A 24 percent pay increase for lawmakers, along the lines of the one proposed for judges, would cost the state more than $4 million a year.
[Illustration]PHOTO: Gov. Eliot Spitzer announced a property tax relief commission on Wednesday, to be headed by Thomas R. Suozzi, at rear. (PHOTOGRAPH BY NATHANIEL BROOKS FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES)(pg. B6)