Common Cause/NY Supports Pay Raises for NYC Council

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  • Susan Lerner
Conditioned on the Quadrennial Commission's recommendations to eliminate lulus, go full-time

NEW YORK, NY — Today the NYC Quadrennial Advisory Commission released its recommendations regarding pay raises for local elected officials who serve in city government. In response, Common Cause/NY Executive Director, Susan Lerner, made the following statement:

“Common Cause/NY supports the Quadrennial Advisory Commission’s recommendations to fully professionalize the City Council. Making pay raises a condition of eliminating outside income and most importantly, lulus, is a key measure to make the Council more efficient. With 37 committees and 6 subcommittees nearly everyone in the 51-member body is eligible for some kind of cash bonus, which seems principally designed to boost their base pay. A full time Council with an appropriate raise will negate the need for salary padding, and should prompt a further discussion about consolidating committees. On these conditions, Common Cause/NY agrees with the Commission that the Council’s increased responsibilities, as well as the structural reforms instituted under Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, warrant an appropriate raise from 112,500 to $138,315.

The Commission has done an outstanding analysis, which should inspire the State to follow suit. Corruption is an epidemic in Albany, but increasing pay, eliminating outside income, and making the Legislature full-time can restore the public’s faith at this time of crisis.”

Last week Common Cause/NY released an exhaustive analysis of outside income in Albany revealing that 40% of lawmakers have some kind of outside job, making on average between $47,216 – $80,216 on top of their $79,500 base pay.

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