No to raises for lawmakers

To the Editor:

Now that 99 percent of our State Assembly and State Senators have been reelected, many are looking to pass legislation in a lame duck session which will give them a future salary increase.

The 2014 State Legislature Session Calendar covered a six-month period from Jan. 1, 2014 to June 30, 2014. There were 129 available weekdays. After subtracting New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Day, President’s Day and Memorial Day, most ordinary New Yorkers worked 125 days. The Legislature was in session only 62 days. Not bad for a part-time job. Many members find the time to hold down second jobs paying even more.

Most members in the majority Democratic State Assembly and Republican State Senate/Independent Democrat coalition including state Senator Jeff Klein and Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz supplemented their base pay of $79,000 per year with lulus for chairing dozens of useless committees and subcommittees. These are up to $41,500. This can result in a salary of $121,000 per year. This is supplemented by day-to-day meal expense accounts and reimbursement for travel to and from Albany.

Nobody was drafted to run for public office. Everyone knew of both the salary, perks of office and limited work requirements. Members of the state legislature are lucky to have their part-time jobs! There are plenty of out-of-work New Yorkers who would be more than happy to replace them. They would gladly show up for work full time, not constantly complain or ask for a salary increase.

Larry Penner