New York state lawmakers voted Thursday to give themselves a 29% pay raise, bringing their salaries from $110,000 to $142,000 a year.
This increase would make the state’s legislature the highest paid in the nation and result in salaries more than three times the median income of $43,208 earned by average New Yorkers, according to The New York Post.
The pay raise, which passed 32-23 in the Senate and 81-52 in the Assembly, largely along party lines, with most Democrats in favor and Republicans opposed, would take effect on January 1 if Governor Kathy Hochul signs off on the plan.
Lawmakers will also be able to continue earning unlimited outside income until 2025, when it will generally be capped at $35,000.
Governor Hochul has 30 days after the end of the special session to sign or veto the pay raise, which could still be enacted into law if two-thirds of both chambers vote to override a veto.
“Are we fixing criminal justice reforms? We’re not doing that. Are we fixing the unemployment insurance fund? It’s bankrupt. We’re not coming back to do that,” said Sen. George Borrello (R-Jamestown) during the debate in the state Senate. “We’ve come back a couple days before Christmas to raise our salaries.”
Outgoing state Sen. Elijah Reichlin-Melnick (D-Nanuet) broke ranks to vote against the raises, saying: “Inflation has hit everyone and legislators increasing their pay at a time when people are feeling the pain of economic pressure doesn’t feel right.”
“If this were the right thing to do, we could have handled it during the regular session,” added Reichlin-Melnick, who lost his re-election bid to Republican Bill Weber last month.
