Lead county lawmakers get raise
Republican Legislators vote for pay hikes
A surprising bill introduced by Republicans in the county Legislature on Monday gave lead lawmakers significant pay raises, and Democrats, who voted unanimously against the measure, were quick to protest the controversial action the next morning.
“If this is what the Republicans do after just three weeks in charge, what can we expect three months from now?” said Legislator Judy Jacobs, a Democrat from Woodbury. “They obviously have their eyes on their own wallets rather than the taxpayers.”
The bill — which did not appear on the Legislature’s Monday agenda — left some residents shocked to see legislators voting on a pay increase while the county cries poverty. The measure passed in a party-line vote, 11-8.
Majority Leader Peter Schmitt, Deputy Majority Leader John Ciotti, who represents North Valley Stream and part of the village, and Minority Leader Diane Yatauro all received pay raises, though Yatauro voted against the measure and said she would donate her extra salary to charity. Schmitt’s compensation will increase from $67,500 to $99,500, Ciotti’s will jump from $62,500 to $84,500 and Yatauro’s will increase from $63,500 to $90,500.
Republican Legislator Howard Kopel, whose district includes parts of East Rockaway, defended the bill, explaining that salaries for Nassau County legislators are below those of their counterparts in Suffolk County and Westchester. "In my view some people might question timing, but it's entirely justified; ridiculously justified," he said.
The new salaries would place Nassau lawmakers in between their counterparts in the other two counties, Kopel explained, and the increases would come from the legislative budget and not from new taxes. Asked whether the pay hike represents a reversal of Republican campaign promises to cut expenses, Kopel stressed that there were some fixed costs. "Maintenance needs to go up. It's like a car, if you don't spend money on an oil change you may have to buy a new engine. So some things will go up. Many things will go down."
