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lauerzALBANY — Despite the recession and a state hiring freeze for agencies, the state Senate has added 161 new staff positions, given raises to employees and boosted payroll after last summer's leadership coup, state records show.
The increase in staff and pay is expected to add up to about $7.4 million this year in new spending, up 11 percent, at a time when the state faces a $9 billion budget deficit and is threatening to cut aid to schools and close state parks.
The beneficiaries of the new positions have been mainly Republican senators, who along with two dissident Democrats agreed to end last summer's leadership stalemate in exchange for legislative reforms and more money for staffing and offices.
As a result, Republicans added 87 positions between July and early last month at a projected cost of $3.7 million, a 26 percent increase, a review by Gannett's Albany bureau shows. Republicans added nine employees to open regional offices in Albany, Long Island, New York City, Syracuse and Lowville in the North Country.
But while Democrats were blasting Republicans for the new spending, Democrats were the ones who agreed to give the GOP more money for staff resources. And Democrats, who already had regional offices, also hiked staff spending following the monthlong stalemate that stretched from June to July.
Senate Majority Leader Pedro Espada, D-Bronx, led the coup and has since added 11 positions through his leadership position as part of a deal to return to the Democratic conference. If the staff stays on all year, he will have added nearly $700,000 a year to the state's costs — the largest increase of any senator, records show.
Senate Democratic Leader John Sampson, D-Brooklyn, added the second most among Democrats, with five positions since he gained the leadership post after the coup.
Там еще дальше есть - http://www.lohud.com/article/20103140374
а я пойду комменты почитаю, небось там уже цензурно никто не выражается.
The increase in staff and pay is expected to add up to about $7.4 million this year in new spending, up 11 percent, at a time when the state faces a $9 billion budget deficit and is threatening to cut aid to schools and close state parks.
The beneficiaries of the new positions have been mainly Republican senators, who along with two dissident Democrats agreed to end last summer's leadership stalemate in exchange for legislative reforms and more money for staffing and offices.
As a result, Republicans added 87 positions between July and early last month at a projected cost of $3.7 million, a 26 percent increase, a review by Gannett's Albany bureau shows. Republicans added nine employees to open regional offices in Albany, Long Island, New York City, Syracuse and Lowville in the North Country.
But while Democrats were blasting Republicans for the new spending, Democrats were the ones who agreed to give the GOP more money for staff resources. And Democrats, who already had regional offices, also hiked staff spending following the monthlong stalemate that stretched from June to July.
Senate Majority Leader Pedro Espada, D-Bronx, led the coup and has since added 11 positions through his leadership position as part of a deal to return to the Democratic conference. If the staff stays on all year, he will have added nearly $700,000 a year to the state's costs — the largest increase of any senator, records show.
Senate Democratic Leader John Sampson, D-Brooklyn, added the second most among Democrats, with five positions since he gained the leadership post after the coup.
Там еще дальше есть - http://www.lohud.com/article/20103140374
а я пойду комменты почитаю, небось там уже цензурно никто не выражается.
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пожалуй сохраню всю статью - для истории (часть 2)
Date: 2010-03-15 05:09 am (UTC)Democrats were on pace this year to spend about $2.2 million more on payroll compared to last year, through 21 new positions — a 6 percent increase. Another 53 positions were added through central staff and Senate operations, a 2 percent increase in payroll costs, records show.
Some fiscal watchdog groups questioned how the 62-member Senate could afford to add all these new people. Gov. David Paterson imposed a hiring freeze in 2008 for state agencies, but the Legislature is its own independent branch.
"The question is where is this money coming from, and why do they need all this staff?" said Lise Bang-Jensen, who studies state payrolls as an analyst for the conservative Empire Center for New York State Policy.
Senate Democrats said that despite the rise in payroll, they still expect overall expenses for Senate operations to be at $92 million for the full year, $8 million less than what had been allocated for the Senate in prior years.
From last April through September, Senate Democrats said they spent $2 million less than Republicans did during the same period in 2008, when the GOP was in the majority. Democrats won control of the Senate in the 2008 elections after Republicans had held the majority since 1965.
"It is pretty clear the Republicans had one focus in launching last year's coup which was to get their hands on more money and patronage," said Travis Proulx, a spokesman for Senate Democrats. "They embarrassed the people of this state so they could behave like kids in a candy store while families are struggling to make ends meet."
The Legislature has long been blamed for not sharing resources more equally between members of the majority and minority parties — even though they each represent the same number of constituents.
часть 3
Date: 2010-03-15 05:10 am (UTC)Moreover, Democrats said central staff operations — such as use of media services and printing — are more equally shared. Proulx calculated that each Senate Democrat will average about $705,000 in annual payroll and office expenses compared to an average of about $609,000 for each Republican member.
Republicans defended the new spending, saying it wasn't until the coup that Democrats agreed to more equally share resources. When Democrats took the majority, Republicans claim, the GOP was initially given even less than Democrats had received in the minority.
They still argued they are getting less than Democrats received prior to 2009.
"We were able to bring more people on, but clearly not to the point where they were when they were in the minority," said John McArdle, spokesman for Senate Republicans.
Some Republican senators said the data is misleading. Records show that Sen. Thomas Libous, R-Binghamton, the second in charge among Senate Republicans, added eight staff members since the coup. But Libous said those are for a college internship program and to pay some part-time staffers who were not getting paid before the coup. "It's not like I have a flock of people, but we did do better with the resources. That was part of the negotiations," Libous said.
Sen. Joseph Robach, R-Greece, Monroe County, said he actually cut his overall $400,000 allocation for his office by 10 percent. Still, records show that since the coup, his payroll was on pace to increase by about $75,000; he has nine staffers.
а это комментарии
Date: 2010-03-15 05:16 am (UTC)So i'm 6'0" tall 165lbs in good shape and I have to pay a "fat tax" on soda and these a $$holes get a raise? People are broke lets take more of their money It is our fault because we haven't stormed Albany and dragged these bums into the street to get their beatings! This state sux!
Putnsm1 wrote:
Hopefully the Journal News will post a list of the Senators names and the areas they represent now and again near election time. The one thing these Senators are counting on is our collective short memory. Pedro Espada is especially laughing all the way to the bank...
KieranJ wrote:
I have said this time and time again...this is the fault of the People of the State of New York who continually vote the same imbeciles into office. If you don't get out and vote against these morons, then shame on you!
I also blame plenty of good people who could step up and run against these boobs. You do NOT have to be a lawyer to be an assemblyman or senator!
fight4justice wrote:
crooks.
Reallyfedup wrote:
It's business as usual in New York. The rich get richer. You can talk all you want about reform, rebellion, revolt, tea parties. You can write to your congressman, your senator, your president or your newspaper. You can get as organized as you want against local government, county government, state government, federal government. You can vote or not vote. This is permanent. You're never going to change it. It's human nature. That's never going to change. Vote them out? Ha! Then they'll pull a Bloomberg maneuver to stay in. Withhold your taxes? Just try it, and we'll see you in 10 to 20. We the people are permanently, thoroughly, irrevocably screwed.
еще комментарии
Date: 2010-03-15 05:24 am (UTC)LoHud why isn't this posted in the crime section of your website? Business is down, and thus payoffs, so the crooks have to make up the difference somewhere.
TEAPARTY wrote:
The idiot voters in this stupid state will put these fools back in because the democrats promise more of the same - welfare, medicade, govt cheese, etc etc.
henros wrote:
Seniors are not getting their cost of living raise this year and these (there is no name to discribe them that is printable)have the nerve to give raises??? shame on you Nita Lowey, you and everyone in the Senate is a disgrace to this country. Keep lining your pockets you are all just as bad as Maddolf. AGAIN I ASK WHERE DO YOU GET THE NERVE TO DO THIS?????????????????
mypetfisheric wrote:
By the way, these are the same people who are now contemplating holding back paying your tax refunds!
hopefulasalways wrote:
Today, companies all over the state are downsizing and giving little if no raises to their staff - a direct result of the poor economy. And those of us not affected by the downsizing are given additional responsibilities from those that were let go - so more work for the same money. The government, on the other hand, live in opposite world. Not only get substantial raises, they hire even more employees. So more employees to do even less for the taxpayers, but all paid by the taxpayers. Nice. As one that never thought of living anywhere but in NY - I'm having serious trouble justifying staying here.
happy102 wrote:
These people make Marie Antoinette look like Mother Theresa! They have no clue what's going on in the real world and wouldn't care to know if they even had the brains to comprehend. They're going to spend and spend and spend and the rest of us will be taxed and taxed and taxed. Get rid of every one of them--democrats and republicans alike. They are uncaring, unfeeling, and committed to self-service not public service