Cuomo to rescind State Police raises

ALBANY - Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo will cancel raises given to 28 high-ranking State Police officials last month amid state worker layoffs, an administration official said Friday.

State troopers were notified of the decision Friday afternoon, said a Cuomo official with direct knowledge of the decision.

The raises, first reported Tuesday by WNYT television in Albany, had been requested by State Police after a union agreement bumped some majors to $170,756 salaries, topping the pay of some agency executives.

State Police officials asked for the raises, saying that the pay inequity was detrimental to the agency's chain of command. The raises ranged from about $20,000 to $28,000 and became effective Dec. 9 - the day before the state sent lay off notices to about 900 other employees.

The day after the report surfaced, Cuomo said he was "surprised and shocked," given the context of the layoffs and the roughly $10 billion state deficit. He also promised to review the issue immediately.

"The decision has been made to roll back the pay increases and the mechanics of the process as being worked out now," said the Cuomo official, who asked to remain anonymous because the decision had yet to be officially announced.

- YANCEY ROY