High-ranking state officials who are earning much less than their counterparts in New York City may soon get a pay raise, according to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s administration.
Hochul’s budget office emphasized the increase by releasing data this week that showed many senior state officials make $50,000 less than city officials with the same job title — and sometimes even less than their own subordinates. .
The data about low state wages was disclosed during a hearing Thursday by the state commission, which is charged with recommending raises for lawmakers and other pols, such as the governor, and top administration officials.
“In my view, senior officials in our state government have been compensated and need an upward adjustment,” Victor Kovner, the governor’s appointee to the commission, said at Thursday’s meeting.
“I have trouble seeing the compensation disparity in New York City for comparable positions with New York State.”
Sources also told The Post that the governor considered the idea of a pay raise in this year’s state budget talks, but he abandoned the idea.
The Pay Commission, which makes its recommendations every four years, is set to take its next pay decision before November 15.
Its recommendations can take effect even without action by the legislature and the governor.
While it’s unclear how the commission will proceed, it’s a good sign to agency heads that at least two of the panel’s seven commissioners embrace the idea and that Hochul’s office is interested in it.
Representatives of government groups that closely monitor the commission also did not raise any significant red flags, particularly regarding pay increases for agency heads.
The Big Apple pay scale comparison was the biggest argument in the Budget Office report presented to the Pay Commission.
For example, the state commissioners of health, transportation and corrections all earn $220,000 per year, while their city counterparts earn $277,604.
Of the 25 agency heads featured in the budget office presentation, only one — the state Education Department commissioner — earns more than his Big Apple colleague.
The group also discussed scenarios where agency heads are earning less than other senior bureaucrats in their agencies, whose pay is determined by other means.
“I think what troubles me most is when you have people like this in New York State, when their subordinates are making significantly more money than the people leading the agency.” said Assembly appointee Terry Egan.
“The Commission asked the Budget Division to research and compare compensation levels across different government entities, DOB collected the requested facts and shared them during today’s meeting. The commission works independently of the Executive Chamber and we look forward to details of their findings,” a Budget Office spokesperson told The Post in a statement.
A spokesperson for the state Senate majority immediately condemned the idea that lawmakers would return to Albany this year surprise special session To increase their own salary as they did in 2022.
“There will be no special session to raise pay for lawmakers,” Senate Democratic Conference spokesman Mike Murphy told The Post.
New York state legislators are currently the highest paid in the country, earning a whopping $142,000 per year despite only being in session in Albany from January to June.
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