Oyster Bay salary hikes include automatic yearly pay bumps for elected officials
Pictured is Oyster Bay Town Hall, where legislators recently approved raises for numerous elected officials that include automatic yearly pay bumps. Credit: Anthony Lanzilote
The Oyster Bay Town Board unanimously approved raises for themselves and other elected officials, along with guaranteed annual salary increases beginning in 2025.
The all-Republican board voted for the raises at a Tuesday meeting. The increases took effect two days later.
Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino’s salary increased by $15,000, from $140,000 to $155,000. Receiver of Taxes Jeffrey Pravato also received a $15,000 pay hike, raising his salary from $110,000 to $125,000. Town Clerk Richard LaMarca’s salary increased by $15,000, from $114,000 to $129,000.
Town board members got $6,000 raises. Their part-time annual salaries now are $63,500.
In addition, beginning in 2025, the supervisor, tax receiver and town clerk will receive automatic $2,500 annual increases, and council members will receive automatic $1,500 annual raises under the new legislation.
Rob Darienzo, the town’s director of finance, said during the meeting that while the increases weren't included in the 2024 approved budget, funds routinely are set aside to account for adjustments.
A town spokesman said a surplus in Oyster Bay's investment returns gave officials the flexibility to approve the pay increases.
“Strong financial management practices” have allowed the town to “raise considerably more money in interest from banks than previously budgeted,” Oyster Bay spokesman Brian Nevin told Newsday.
“This means that the additional money received from banks will more than cover the costs that this will incur,” he added.
In November, town board members approved a $338 million budget for 2024 that left taxes unchanged for the sixth consecutive year. Spending has climbed under Saladino, rising 19.1% since the $284.1 million budget he acquired in 2017 after former Supervisor John Venditto resigned amid corruption charges.
Saladino said in November that the town had reversed the $44 million deficit it faced before a 11.5% tax hike in 2016 to eliminate the shortfall. That hike helped build a surplus the supervisor said was at $88 million near the end of last year.
Nevin said the salary increases are the first for Oyster Bay's elected officials since 2010.
But David Mejias, Oyster's Bay Democratic Committee leader, in a written statement called the salary changes “sneaky,” adding: “They're lining their own pockets and hiding it from the voters. It's the Oyster Bay way.”
Ken Girardin, research director for the Empire Center for Public Policy, faulted the town for not including the raises in the budget.
“They’re running a town, not a fast food joint that suddenly can’t get enough burger flippers and has to hike their starting wage,” Girardin said. “Everyone serving knew what the pay was going to be when they began their term. There is no urgent need or visible justification for giving raises in this manner.”
Last month, the Town of Hempstead passed a measure approving a 2024 raise, along with automatic yearly raises tied to inflation that are supposed to start in 2025, for council members, the supervisor, the clerk and the receiver of taxes.
The raises, which weren't included in Hempstead's previously approved 2024 budget, passed despite objections from residents.
The Oyster Bay Town Board unanimously approved raises for themselves and other elected officials, along with guaranteed annual salary increases beginning in 2025.
The all-Republican board voted for the raises at a Tuesday meeting. The increases took effect two days later.
Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino’s salary increased by $15,000, from $140,000 to $155,000. Receiver of Taxes Jeffrey Pravato also received a $15,000 pay hike, raising his salary from $110,000 to $125,000. Town Clerk Richard LaMarca’s salary increased by $15,000, from $114,000 to $129,000.
Town board members got $6,000 raises. Their part-time annual salaries now are $63,500.
In addition, beginning in 2025, the supervisor, tax receiver and town clerk will receive automatic $2,500 annual increases, and council members will receive automatic $1,500 annual raises under the new legislation.
Rob Darienzo, the town’s director of finance, said during the meeting that while the increases weren't included in the 2024 approved budget, funds routinely are set aside to account for adjustments.
A town spokesman said a surplus in Oyster Bay's investment returns gave officials the flexibility to approve the pay increases.
“Strong financial management practices” have allowed the town to “raise considerably more money in interest from banks than previously budgeted,” Oyster Bay spokesman Brian Nevin told Newsday.
“This means that the additional money received from banks will more than cover the costs that this will incur,” he added.
In November, town board members approved a $338 million budget for 2024 that left taxes unchanged for the sixth consecutive year. Spending has climbed under Saladino, rising 19.1% since the $284.1 million budget he acquired in 2017 after former Supervisor John Venditto resigned amid corruption charges.
Saladino said in November that the town had reversed the $44 million deficit it faced before a 11.5% tax hike in 2016 to eliminate the shortfall. That hike helped build a surplus the supervisor said was at $88 million near the end of last year.
Nevin said the salary increases are the first for Oyster Bay's elected officials since 2010.
But David Mejias, Oyster's Bay Democratic Committee leader, in a written statement called the salary changes “sneaky,” adding: “They're lining their own pockets and hiding it from the voters. It's the Oyster Bay way.”
Ken Girardin, research director for the Empire Center for Public Policy, faulted the town for not including the raises in the budget.
“They’re running a town, not a fast food joint that suddenly can’t get enough burger flippers and has to hike their starting wage,” Girardin said. “Everyone serving knew what the pay was going to be when they began their term. There is no urgent need or visible justification for giving raises in this manner.”
Last month, the Town of Hempstead passed a measure approving a 2024 raise, along with automatic yearly raises tied to inflation that are supposed to start in 2025, for council members, the supervisor, the clerk and the receiver of taxes.
The raises, which weren't included in Hempstead's previously approved 2024 budget, passed despite objections from residents.
Joseph Ostapiuk covers the Town of Oyster Bay and the City of Glen Cove. He joined Newsday in 2023 after spending more than six years at the Staten Island Advance/SILive.com.
