Reinvent Albany Backs Pay Committee’s Move to Limit Outside Income and Restrict Stipends

Reinvent Albany supports the NYS Compensation Committee‘s decision to restrict outside income and limit stipends while giving elected officials and agency heads a substantial pay increase. The Committee’s decision largely follows recommendations Reinvent Albany made in testimony last week to the Committee. While questions remain regarding the specific details and legal authority of the Committee, Reinvent Albany backs the broad principles in the Committee’s determination today.The public deserves a government in which state officials and electeds are focused on serving the public interest, and can represent New Yorkers free of outside entanglements or pressures from leadership leveraged through stipends. New York State electeds and agency heads deserve a substantial pay raise, not having had one in 20 years. We should strive to attract talented people to public service and reward them for their hard work and expertise.

The limitations on outside income and stipends are long needed reforms to move New York toward a more effective and ethical government. We hope the Committee’s actions today are the beginning of more reforms to come in ethics, campaign finance and voting that will fully restore confidence and integrity in New York State government.