The Empire Page

In the recent article by Joseph Spector “More state workers make $100,000-plus a year”, he points out “The poor economy has done little to slow the growth in the number of state workers making more than $100,000 a year, state records show.”

This is not surprising to me in the least. I have written about this same topic in the past. The average New York State taxpayer would be appalled at the level of salaries and how they have climbed over the last fifteen years. All of this coming at a time where the New York State budget deficits routinely ran into the billions of dollars.

This issue parallels the issue I wrote about concerning the fact that the state employee unions were unwilling to forego their 3 percent raises this past April at the request of Governor Paterson. This rejection being made in full view of New York State facing a $15 billion budget deficit.

Salaries of New York State employees never go down regardless of what is happening in the economy. This is a basic economic flaw in budgeting process for New York State. As the revenues from Wall Street shrink and expenses for high unemployment due to a weakening economy grow, not only do state employees’ salaries continue to increase, apparently more and more people are hired who are making over $100,000 a year.

I can understand professional people, like doctors and researchers at our state hospitals and medical centers, and administrators and professors at our State universities making over the $100,000 mark, but there are untold numbers of people at state agencies now exceeding that amount; many without merit. In some cases in the State Comptroller’s Office there are people making that amount of money who don’t even have a college degree in the discipline in which they are working. Patronage is a large issue in the offices of elected officials.

It would be an interesting analysis to compare the payroll of the State Comptroller’s Office 15 years ago, 10 years ago and at present, to see just how many more people are making over $100,000 now than at the previous times. The results would be staggering and shocking.

And if it’s shocking at one state agency, you can “bet your sweet bippy” it is happening at every state agency. This is a study that needs to be performed and reported on.

Douglas Boettner

doug.boettner@gmail.com