New York is suffering from the results of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the state’s deficit expected to skyrocket to $63 billion over the next four years. Meanwhile, Governor Andrew Cuomo is getting a $25,000 pay raise.
His salary will jump from $225,000 to $250,000. He will be the highest-paid governor in the country.
“More than one million residents are out of work, and the unemployment rate is nearly double the national average,” The New York Times reported about New York state at the end of October.
While Cuomo will be getting his raise, along with Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, Attorney General Letitia James, and Comptroller Tom DiNapoli — all Democrats — New York legislators, judges, and commissioners are not entitled to any additional money. According to a Commission on Legislative, Judicial, and Executive Compensation (CLJEC) panel, they decided on Monday that there was not room in the state’s budget for that. This decision can be overturned by the state legislature, but it is highly unlikely.
“The commission is composed of appointees of the chief judge of New York, the state Senate, Assembly, and Gov. Andrew Cuomo,” Spectrum News noted.
CLJEC wrote, “Granting raises to public servants, no matter how much they might otherwise deserve them, is simply not possible at this time.”
“The base salary for New York’s 213 lawmakers is currently set at $110,000, plus a per diem for each day they spend at the Capitol in Albany,” The Daily Mail noted. “The salary for judges is varied based on their bench, with state Supreme Court judges making about $210,000.”
Cuomo’s raise was approved last year by the state Senate and Assembly.
On Tuesday, Cuomo asked the federal government for more money, stating, “We don’t have a shovel big enough to dig out of [the deficit]. It’s the biggest number in history. We need help from Washington … Biden ran, and I know him and I supported and he’s a good man – he will fund state and local governments and we need that to come even close to balancing the budget.”
The CLJEC panel echoed, “’We understand the potential for significant budget cuts may be necessary at the state executive level as well if the federal government does not enact additional funding to address the economic hardship caused by COVID-19. Substantial additional state monies will be needed to deal with the pandemic, including providing face masks, virus tracking, contact tracing, enforcement efforts, and distribution of the hoped for new pandemic vaccine. Simply put the commissioners’ worst fears as articulated in the 2019 Report — a downturn in the state’s finances coupled with an inability to cover increased salary obligations — has unfortunately come to stark reality in the worst possible way.”
MarketWatch reported at the end of July: “The city — an early epicenter of the outbreak that has now become one of the cities with the fewest cases in the U.S. — saw a roughly 90% decline in visitors during the last quarter of fiscal year 2020, which ended June 30, New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer said in a recent interview with MarketWatch. That amounted to an estimated loss of $270 million in hotel taxes, in addition to another $250 million in other tourism-related sales tax revenue during that period, Stringer said.”
I’m thinking that his best punishment would be to sacrifice all he has and live like his “minions” for a month. No special privileges, no money and only his wits to keep him going.
Wonder if he’d be proven a dimwit ! Glad I don’t live in NY and feel sorry for those who can’t leave. He and his brother deserve each other. Their father deserved neither.
Cuomo, is an opportunist and a communist pig. He kiss who’s ever butt that will ( in his mind ) give him what he needs, not the public but for him.
If Cuomo was any kind of a leader he would turn down his raise and channel those funds to help the public welfare, secondly he has double standards, A leader leads by example and not placing themselves above the common good. The fact that he has his city in lock down for the holidays and taking a vacation shows that his well being is greater than the people he is supposedly supporting. He needs to resign from office. Poor leadership is putting it lightly.
Why the hell should my tax money go to bail out inefficient and inappropriate spending? I do not live in New York and I pay enough taxes to my own State and Local governments. Guess they should learn to tighten their belts. Cuomo could have declined the raise. In addition to my email not being published-my name should not be published either.
What an ASSHOLE AND A MURDERER ,RAISE HIM TO THE TOP OF HIS Charlie Brown tree.
Quit your griping. You voted for them, so deal with it
Absolutely disgusting! He deserves to lose his job, not rewarded
Why isn’t this dumb-ass dago in jail awaiting trial on reckless endangerment or manslaughter charges for his crimes against the elderly?
More than a million New Yorkers are unemployed, the unemployment rate is sky-high, and Cuomo, de Blasio, Fauci and other law – idlers “do not have a shovel big enough to dig” heaps of money from under such a “golden” pandemic.
More than a million New Yorkers are unemployed, the unemployment rate is sky-high, and Cuomo, de Blasio, Fauci and other law – idlers “do not have a shovel big enough to dig” heaps of money from under such a “golden” pandemic.
There is not one politician that deserves a raise in salary!!! NOT ONE !!! Unless they would like to DONATE that money to a charity just like President Trump has donated his salary for the last 3 1/2 years of his presidency !!! So I ask this of both Mr Biden and Ms Harris: Will you both donate your yearly salaries to charity should you be elected?????
What happened to us – are we crazy? One man kills another because of what – because of the dog? A huge 25 year old man shoots a 5 year old child in the head, for what? – because he drove his little bike onto the lawn? What is happening – a pandemic or are we just losing our human face? People – come to your senses, remember that you are people!
I am against any pay raises to be given to any politician!!! Which leads me to a question for Biden and Harris : will you be donating your salaries to charity like President Trump has for the last 3 1/2 years????
I can’t believe New Yorkers are putting up with this slimeball.
UNBELIEVABLE!
Another piece of shit still in office, murdered several elderly, spoke as if he was God. Another Democrat stealing money from the American people. Stealng money he doesn’t need while we struggle and have dealt with all of the politicians running for office begging us for money, to donate, any amount you can. We don’t have any damn money remember we were without a job, some still are!
You bastard, I hope you die a horrible death, in a nursing home, alone, DNR (Democrat Noone Remembers).