| I posted my letter to Governor Eliot Spitzer regarding possible pay raises for the New York State Legislature. After I had posted that, I found out how the Western New York delegation would vote for (or against) a pay raise.
Pay Raise? Local Lawmakers Just Say No:
Here's a breakdown of the local delegation: Among State Senators, Democrat William Stachowski said he would vote no. Antoine Thompson said he didn't want to comment until he saw legislation. Republicans Dale Volker, Mary Lou Rath and George Maziarz all said they would vote against a pay hike.
Among members of the State Assembly: Democrats Francine DelMonte, Robin Schimminger, Dennis Gabryszak, and Mark Schroeder said they would not support a pay raise. Republicans Mike Cole, Jack Quinn and Jim Hayes also say they're opposed to a pay hike. We did not hear back from Democrats Crystal Peoples or Sam Hoyt.
The worst explanation for his or her no vote came from Republican Assemblyman Mike Cole:
"It's something the downstate delegation has been clamoring for," said Republican Assemblyman Mike Cole. "I don't even know how you can even consider it when the state is facing the budget mess we're in." Cole said if someone got into this kind of work for the money, they picked the wrong profession. "You knew what the salary was when you ran for the position. You do it because you love the community, to make a difference, not to get rich."
Yes, it was a downstate Democratic state senator who made a fool of himself by demanding "show me the money!" But I don't know how this is directly attributed to the "downstate delegation."
But I do agree with Cole's other words. They should be doing this for the community. The people of New York aren't shareholders in our politicians. We don't increase our investment in you just because you think you're doing a good job. We are voters, taxpayers and concerned citizens. And I think I speak for a lot of people when I say that a tax increase would be ludicrous, especially after all the talk of improving our economy over the last couple of weeks. |
