| (CLARIFICATION: This legislation that Assemblyman Hoyt and Senator Stachowski will introduce only targets the bonuses, but won't be limited to just NYPA. They are targeting all state authorities with this legislation.
This will not cover the rate increases, however. That should be made clear. The rate increases are a separate issue that must be dealt with on its own. I suspect that it will be in short order.)
The outrage over the New York Power Authority's bonuses and proposed rate increase has grown. Today, the New York State Senate's Energy Committee held a press conference on the issue (more videos to come) and now, there will be legislation introduced to block the bonuses.
The legislation will be introduced by Assemblyman Sam Hoyt and Sen. Bill Stachowski. Both men aren't happy about the recent developments with NYPA and decided to do something about it.
Expressing outrage about the "gold-plated culture" of state authorities, Assemblymember Sam Hoyt (D-WF, Buffalo) and Senator William T. Stachowski (D-C, Lakeview) today announced that they will introduce legislation that would prohibit state authorities like the Power Authority, from giving bonuses to their staffs. Hoyt said "These bonuses expose another gold-plated benefit at NYPA paid for by the people of New York State. Coupling these bonuses with rate hikes is a double-hit on taxpayers at absolutely the worst time." Hoyt said he will be communicating with NYPA leadership that he wants the rate increase axed and the bonus plan rescinded.
"The state's taxpayers have every right to be angry," said Senator William T. Stachowski, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Economic Development and Small Business, said, "At a time when jobs are being lost, particularly in western New York, and families are struggling to survive financially in this declining economy, the last thing our state authorities should be considering is giving out bonuses. Assemblyman Hoyt and I are pursuing every available means we have at the state level to block these bonuses and reign in state spending. We will continue to fight against this and any proposed rate hikes as well."
Hoyt claimed that bonuses are an outrage because the NYPA's compensation plan is already too generous. According to 2007 records, the authority's 32 top executives earned, on average, $183,000 dollars, while the authority's president and CEO's salary is $227,501. The authority's Western New York region director earning $164,748. Raises to top executives in 2007 averaged $6,300 per year. Many low skill NYPA employees still beat median wages for upstate New York with secretaries, laborers and janitors, security guards and clerks paid in excess of $50,000.
The power authority's liberal spending practices are well known and extensive. These perks include some 245 cell phones, 274 Blackberries, 303 laptops and 720 credit cards - given mostly the white-collar staff. The authority owns and operates its own plane which was used extensively during the Pataki administration to take the Governor all over the State.
Hoyt concluded by saying "Western New York gives the most and gets so little in return. We deserve the profits derived from our natural resources. It is unfortunate that the NYPA lifestyle is being funded out of our pockets. I hope the leadership at NYPA will stop these terrible actions and come to their senses."
This is an important issue. During these tough times, we can't afford to see high costs of electricity and we can't afford to pay for an increase in our rates. We also can't afford to pay out $3 million in bonuses for NYPA employees. There needs to be a reasonable course of action here. We can't afford this and it is great to see such a bi-partisan effort to fight this. |
