Legislators in New York voted on Thursday to increase their pay by $32,000 at a time when the state’s citizens are suffering from stagnant wages and decades-high inflation, making the lawmakers the highest-paid among peers across the United States.
The pay raise will push up the yearly salary for lawmakers from the current $110,000 to $142,000. The $110,000 salary was fixed in 2019. In the 20 years prior to that, lawmakers were paid $79,500 annually. The proposal was passed by the Senate with a vote of 33–23, and in the Assembly by a vote of 81–52.
The measure now needs to be signed by Democrat Governor Kathy Hochul to come into effect. The salary increase for legislators is expected to kick in on Jan. 1….