Presents for themselves

The outcome was known once the bill appeared sponsored by state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie: The Legislature was going to raise its pay far above what a special committee had recommended and impose no immediate cap on corrupting outside income. And that’s what they did Thursday afternoon in Albany as they rushed into town for a quickie lame duck session.

The Senate voted 33 to 23 with five senators not present and two vacancies. Following that, the Assembly tally was 84 to 47, with 19 members absent. The ruling Democrats didn’t care that the special committee of four current and former comptrollers (all Democrats) had urged a legislative salary of $130,000, up from the current $110,000 a year. Stewart-Cousins and Heastie decided that the level should be $142,000 because, well, because.

As for the recommended 15% limit on outside income, Stewart-Cousins and Heastie thought it too limiting and boosted the amount by two-thirds, to 25%. The plan of the special committee was that $19,500 would be fair (15% of $130,000). What we got was a figure of $35,000 that members can pocket from private interests, 80% higher than the proposed reform. And even that doesn’t begin until 2025.

State lawmakers complain that the City Council pays $148,500 a year, so $142,000 isn’t that much. True, but in the Council all outside earnings are barred. And most important, the Council is subject to term limits of eight years. That’s a deal we’d accept for Albany.

Members who want to be true to the spirit of reform should ask state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli to withhold their raises until the outside income cap starts in two years and only pay them $130,000 at that point. Let’s see if anyone does so.