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A Modest Investment in Our Financial Future
Mon, 11 Aug 2008 15:32:00
"We're going to end the legislators' vacations and bring them back to Albany to reprioritize the way we manage New York State's finances."
Okay, maybe that was not the most diplomatic phrase Gov. David Paterson could have used as he called the Legislature back into session, now that years of irresponsible budgeting have finally caught up with New York. But it does reflect a feeling that a lot of New Yorkers have about their state government, particularly when they have gotten used to seeing the stories each year about lawmakers careening toward the March 31 budget deadline in a flurry of last-minute agreements-and then again toward the end of the session each June with even more backroom deals. This year, the headlines have been worse than ever, particularly with regard to the state's finances.
Many lawmakers are engaged in substantive work in Albany. Many of them as well are providing necessary services to constituents during their time away from Albany. But as the current crisis makes clear, they need to be doing more work, and more of it in Albany.
Of course, there are two problems lawmakers can justifiably point to: first, that they may require the additional income they are able to earn during their time away from the Capitol, and second, that they do not have the staffing resources to meet the needs of their constituents without doing a significant share of the work themselves.
The solution comes down to a question of money. Give lawmakers the raise they so desperately want, and arguably, need. The current base salary is $79,500. Raise it, and raise it significantly, both to make clear the additional amount of work they need to do to earn the new cash, and to make the salary competitive enough with jobs outside of government to attract some of the best and brightest who have been forced to turn elsewhere to pay their bills. A $40,000 boost, for a total base of $119,500, should be enough to make people pay attention. Additional leadership stipends could even be left in place, at least for now.
Then, provide another $40,000 to each of the 212 legislators, earmarked to hire a new staffer. Call that person the district director of constituent services, and have that person pick up the slack that will inevitably be left as lawmakers spend more of their time in Albany.
Sound like a lot of money? The total, plus benefits for the new employees, would still come in under $20 million. If this would help legislators focus on finding ways to plug a budget gap that has already ballooned an additional $1.4 billion past initial projections, that seems like one of the best investments the state can make at this point.
Unlike much of the money allocated in the state budget, however, this cash would have to come with conditions:
Okay, maybe that was not the most diplomatic phrase Gov. David Paterson could have used as he called the Legislature back into session, now that years of irresponsible budgeting have finally caught up with New York. But it does reflect a feeling that a lot of New Yorkers have about their state government, particularly when they have gotten used to seeing the stories each year about lawmakers careening toward the March 31 budget deadline in a flurry of last-minute agreements-and then again toward the end of the session each June with even more backroom deals. This year, the headlines have been worse than ever, particularly with regard to the state's finances.
Many lawmakers are engaged in substantive work in Albany. Many of them as well are providing necessary services to constituents during their time away from Albany. But as the current crisis makes clear, they need to be doing more work, and more of it in Albany.
Of course, there are two problems lawmakers can justifiably point to: first, that they may require the additional income they are able to earn during their time away from the Capitol, and second, that they do not have the staffing resources to meet the needs of their constituents without doing a significant share of the work themselves.
The solution comes down to a question of money. Give lawmakers the raise they so desperately want, and arguably, need. The current base salary is $79,500. Raise it, and raise it significantly, both to make clear the additional amount of work they need to do to earn the new cash, and to make the salary competitive enough with jobs outside of government to attract some of the best and brightest who have been forced to turn elsewhere to pay their bills. A $40,000 boost, for a total base of $119,500, should be enough to make people pay attention. Additional leadership stipends could even be left in place, at least for now.
Then, provide another $40,000 to each of the 212 legislators, earmarked to hire a new staffer. Call that person the district director of constituent services, and have that person pick up the slack that will inevitably be left as lawmakers spend more of their time in Albany.
Sound like a lot of money? The total, plus benefits for the new employees, would still come in under $20 million. If this would help legislators focus on finding ways to plug a budget gap that has already ballooned an additional $1.4 billion past initial projections, that seems like one of the best investments the state can make at this point.
Unlike much of the money allocated in the state budget, however, this cash would have to come with conditions:
- The Legislature must be made full-time, or at least fuller-time. The lights should be on in both the Assembly and State Senate chambers no less than 10 months each year.
- Legislators must be barred from secondary employment.
- Clearer powers for committees must be created, to give those outside the top echelons of leadership greater influence over legislative decisions, and enhance the transparency of the process by which agreements are reached.
- The due date of the budget should be shifted to June 30, to bring New York in line with just about every other state government that waits until revenues arrive at the end of the fiscal year before finalizing expenditures. Moreover, the budgeting process for the following year must begin July 1, with the governor putting forward an executive budget by October.
- Several deadlines must be set for action on the budget and other legislation over the course of the year, to prevent legislators from simply spending more time in the capital to cram in the same amount of action in the last few days in session. Missing the deadlines should result in legislators and the governor being docked pay.
