Not That The Job Doesn't Merit The Pay, But...
...In times of economic upheaval on Long Island, where inflation rears its ugly head (from gas pump to grocery store), and that feared recession has already hit, and hit hard, who is getting a 60% increase in salary?
Where is the money for all of these raises coming from? More property taxes? Increased fees? The dwindling sales tax?
Is the County going to borrow more money, putting us even deeper in the hole?
Who among us in Nassau County can afford to bear the burden?
From property taxes to the housing slump, an increasing cost of living along with diminishing returns on our money, Long Islanders are feeling the pain, and particularly so this time of year.
Our leaders, be they at Town Hall or the County Seat, should, at the very least, share our pain, not revel in and/or exploit it.
Increases to elected officials, beyond the cost of living, while perhaps merited, should not be in the offing at this time.
As the employer out of whose pockets and bank accounts such raises must come, Nassau County residents can simply not afford to be so generous with money they do not have!
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Lawmakers vote raises for Suozzi, other officials
BY REID J. EPSTEIN
reid.epstein@newsday.com
Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi will get a 60 percent raise Jan. 1 after the legislature on Monday approved pay increases for the five officials elected countywide.The raises will bring Suozzi's 2008 salary to $174,614, compared to the $109,394 he earned this year.
The comptroller, district attorney, clerk and chairman of the board of assessors will each make $166,300.
Each position will see its salary increase by about 4 percent annually beginning in 2009.
The raises passed on an 11-8 vote, with Legis. Denise Ford (R-Long Beach) breaking with Republicans to support the measure. All 10 Democrats voted for the raises, with the other eight Republicans opposing them.
Copyright © 2007, Newsday Inc.
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