New York, NY - City Hearing on Council Wage Hikes
New York, NY - Now that Election Day is over, the 51 members of the City Council will turn to some unfinished business.
Like holding a public hearing today on a bill to give themselves a $22,500 pay raise - at an annual combined cost to taxpayers of $1,147,500.
The hearing by the Governmental Operations Committee is set to start at 4:30 p.m., ostensibly to make it more convenient for potential witnesses to go to City Hall after they're done working for the day.
But no one would be very surprised if few - or no - members of the public show up to testify on the bill.
"I'll stay all night if there are people who want to testify," said committee Chairman Simcha Felder (D-Brooklyn). "But that's not going to happen."
He said that while many taxpayers might object to the Council voting itself a raise - from $90,000 to $112,500 - "to actually have them come [to City Hall and testify] is another story.". "They don't want to waste their time," added Felder.
Like holding a public hearing today on a bill to give themselves a $22,500 pay raise - at an annual combined cost to taxpayers of $1,147,500.
The hearing by the Governmental Operations Committee is set to start at 4:30 p.m., ostensibly to make it more convenient for potential witnesses to go to City Hall after they're done working for the day.
But no one would be very surprised if few - or no - members of the public show up to testify on the bill.
"I'll stay all night if there are people who want to testify," said committee Chairman Simcha Felder (D-Brooklyn). "But that's not going to happen."
He said that while many taxpayers might object to the Council voting itself a raise - from $90,000 to $112,500 - "to actually have them come [to City Hall and testify] is another story.". "They don't want to waste their time," added Felder.
posted by VOS IZ NEIAS @ 11/08/2006 09:33:00 AM
18 Comments:
At 10:23 AM,
Anonymous said…
The way this city is run, the council members do not deserve a pay raise. How many in this city who work a lot longer hours 5-6 days a week earn 90 thousand dollars. How often do you get to see or meet personally with your elected councilman when you desire such. When does the councilman convene a meeting to discuss such issues as traffic congestion, crime, school tuition tax credits, etc. THey are there for you ONLY when election time rolls around. These guys are paid 90k for what is called a part time job.
Finally, if the pay is too low for their lifestyle, let them take a real job. THey were not forced into these jobs. THey wanted it and they knew the stakes going into it. Imagine a lowlife criminal like Charles Barron earning this kind of money when he should really be suffering in jail.
At 11:09 AM,
Anonymous said…
You gotta love Simcha, He is the only one that has the manhood to say it as it is!!!
At 1:13 PM,
Anonymous said…
To 11:09-
Please list in detail all major changes that have taken place in our community since Simcha became a councilmember.
You wanna love him, that's ok, but why?
At 2:01 PM,
Anonymous said…
Lets say: He didn't do anything for the communitty, but for people that had problems and went to his office they were helped.
He is not going to run ads in the paper saying I helped someone with a Birth Certificate, con edison, medicaid, medicare, police, tax bills, and anything else you could think of. I hope you understand that these cases are private.
At 2:12 PM,
Anonymous said…
Starting salary for a policeman or a fireman is $25,000 per year, with top pay for a regular cop or fireman (not a superior officer like a Lt. or Captain) is about $60,000 after five years. For this money, we expect a fireman to run into a burning house to save someone and maybe have a wall fall in on him, or expect a policeman to confront an armed criminal and maybe get shot to death. And yet, we pay worthless politicans $90,000 for what's essentially a part time job that involves NO DANGER TO THEIR LIVES AT ALL. And now they want still more -- and a mayoral commission is recommending that they get it (this way, the mayor can pretend that he had nothing to do with it). The commission is also recommending that commissioners, and deputy mayors and all kinds of other elected and appointed officials -- in other words, more politicians -- get fat raises. WHAT AN OUTRAGE. The city closed firehouses, and is fighting tooth-and-nail with the firemen, policemen and other emergency people who responded to 9/11 and got awful lung diseases from breathing in the toxic fumes while they were searching for bodies (many are now disabled) for every lousy dime of compensation they are seeking -- but is ready to hand these political clowns nice fat raises. POLITICIANS TAKING CARE OF THEIR FELLOW POLITICIANS -- AND THE PUBLIC'S SAFETY BE DAMNED!!!!
At 2:27 PM,
Anonymous said…
"Lets say: He didn't do anything for the communitty, but for people that had problems and went to his office they were helped."
SO 90,000 (PLUS PERKS) ISNT ENOUGH?
At 2:28 PM,
Anonymous said…
THER ARE LAWYERS AND DOCTORS THAT DON'T TAKE HOME THAT MUCH.
At 2:33 PM,
Anonymous said…
I didn't say they should or shouldn't raise but by saying a Councilman doesn't do anything is WRONG.
A Councilman works very hard comes budget time. A councilman works hard at committee hearings (it is not easy), so a Councilman does work hard.
At 2:48 PM,
Anonymous said…
lets all realize what it is
it will happen anyway however simcha felder and charles barron are hypocrites
remember simcha felder had to do to the bathroom when it came to electeg a gay speaker of the council so he shpouldnt offend bloomberg
he and hikind only help themselves not the community
name 5 major things felders done since he took office except to tell you that heinderectly helped promote gay rights
he is a disgrace to the jewish community
At 2:54 PM,
Anonymous said…
EVERYONE WORKS HARD and doesnt ask for that kind of pay raise.
At 6:14 PM,
Anonymous said…
Simcha Felder has done for the community besides his work for individuals.
He has:
Gotten funding for various community organizations, gotten funding for yeshivos, changed proposed bike paths, resolved sanitation ticket issues, arranged for increased police security at sensitive times, and much more.
At 9:39 PM,
Anonymous said…
Jobs, jobs, jobs, industry, business - what has he done to help the average Joe (or Yossi) pay bills?
At 9:57 PM,
Anonymous said…
He saved us lucky folks car fare with bringing dept of motor vehicles to his office- that's 4.00 round trip. Thanks Simcha, that'll help me pay bills.
At 9:41 AM,
Anonymous said…
Simcha is such a sweetie, he will for sure give his raise back to the community, in Hakuras Hatoiv. He will put the extra money earned to good use for the community's needs and tell us exactly how, right Simcha?
At 12:20 PM,
Anonymous said…
Although a Councilmans job is part time. The Elected Officials that do it full time without having another side job deserve this raise. $90,000 is not a lot of money after taxes. Think about it. If they have to listen to people Kvetching all day about there problems deserve a lot more than what they got. It is hard to deal with our wives Kvetching and that is only one person that we have to listen to. So you can imagine listening to thousands of constituents each year.
At 7:26 PM,
Anonymous said…
Attention FLACH-KEPPIG people out there:
Are we so naive to think that the salary is the only income/favors the elected officials receive. SURE, that's why they're killing themselves to get elected. Riboino shel Oilem.
And that's why all the influential people are killing themselves to fund campaigns. WHY?
Only those who know, know.
At 9:36 PM,
Anonymous said…
To "So you can imagine listening to thousands of constituents each year. "
Who is forcing them, these poor souls?
BTW, while the big donors get hours of their time, the shnorrers get a minute or two apiece.
At 10:00 AM,
Anonymous said…
Sure, makes sense-
A possible vote equals a minute.
A possible contribution equals an hour.
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