State Senator's Idea to Pay Full-Time Lawmakers Draws Criticism

State Senator Martin Connor, a Democrat who represents parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn, recently introduced a bill to give a $52,000 bonus to those lawmakers who stick to being lawmakers. In other words, the many lawmakers who have outside jobs wouldn't get them. Daniel Squadron, who is running against Connor this fall, told the Post, "While Marty Connor clearly believes he should get an additional $52,000 bonus just for doing the job he was elected to do, in these economic times, he'd be hard-pressed to find a single New Yorker who agrees." However, the Sun suggests the that Connor's idea "may contain the contours of the compromise" that would allow Governor Paterson to give lawmakers a raise (lawmakers have a base of $79,500). Connor said, "It's a way to professionalize the Legislature and remove the clouds that hang over the institution."

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By Jen Chung in News on August 6, 2008 10:44 AM

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NannyState

All of Cattaraugus County will be running for office next year.

books

the shocking truth is we don't NEED full time politicians.

fifirouge

Contrary to how it seems, this bill actually is not about lining legislators’ pockets. Most of the legislators are lawyers or in other high-money professions and make hundreds of thousands per year in addition to their legislative salary. Connor himself would lose money if this bill went into effect and he quit his election law practice. According to the Brooklyn Heights Blog (http://brooklynheightsblog.com..., Connor made $350,000 in 2002 at his law practice. That’s a whole lot of money he turns down if this bill goes into effect and he opts for the $52,000.

Jen Chung

Well, one notable example is Sheldon Silver, who makes an undisclosed amount at a Manhattan law firm. He has refused to say how much he makes.

If paying civil servants more money means they are not working for outside firms and more susceptible to corruption...well, I'm open to that.

ianmac47

And how many part time legislators make more than $52,000 from other taxpayer funded jobs?

Spirit of 76

Almost $80k a year and what do we have to show for it in Albany? Perennially late and bloated budgets. Idiotic laws. Loss of Federal funds since they didn't approve congestion pricing. Would anybody in the state miss them if they all dropped dead tomorrow?