Paterson Gives Staffers Secret Pay Raises
by Matt at Feb 16th, 2009
Isn’t that nice? The New Post has learned that, despite the state fiscal crisis, and the fact he asked thousands of state workers to give up their own pay increases, Governor Paterson secretly gave raises to more than a dozen of his staffers, some as much a 46%.
The startling pay hikes, costing about $250,000 annually, were granted after the governor’s “emergency” declaration in August of a looming fiscal crisis that required the state to cut spending and impose a “hard” hiring freeze.
One raise was approved as recently as last month - when Paterson claimed the budget deficit had reached an unprecedented $15.5 billion.
The raises, which have stunned the few state workers who know about them, are outlined in data obtained from the office of state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, prepared at The Post’s request.
Two of the raises were tied to publicly proclaimed promotions - granted despite the supposed hiring freeze - of some of Paterson’s most important appointees, although the announcements didn’t include disclosure of the pay hikes.
The remaining 14 raises appear to have gone to individuals who remained in their same positions, despite claims by a spokesman for Paterson that they had been promoted.
I guess he can’t see the hypocrisy of it all.
Wow amazing! He thinks he can impose ridiculous taxes on things like seeing a movie at a theater, and still hand out pay raises??
The blind joke, while hilarious, is probably in poor taste.
Between the Clarence tragedy this week, Obama’s stimulus and Paterson’s secret raises, Sam Hoyt’s IDA legislation has received zero coverage in the media.
For one, His IDA “reform” bill would mandate businesses that seek IDA tax benefits use union workers. Between that provision and the numerous other onernous conditions and requirements, it would be a net loss to use IDAs. Read up on the Bill, its Assembly Bill 3659
In a perfect world, we would utilize tax cuts instead of spending money on IDAs and Empire Zones. But we live in New York and in the midst of a recession Democrats are trying to render one of the few semi-sucessful job creation programs useless.
Does that sound like good policy?
http://www.urbanelephants.com/index.php/component/content/article/64/523-assembly-democrats-fast-track-anti-jobs-bill.html