Bill de Blasio OKs pay hikes of at least 12% for city electeds

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio walks down the Great Western Staircase at the Capitol in Abany, Jan. 13, 2016. Credit: AP / Mike Groll
Mayor Bill de Blasio has signed off on pay hikes of at least 12 percent for the city’s elected officials, saying he approves a recommendation by an independent panel that the 51 City Council posts be full time with limited outside employment, according to a letter released Thursday.
De Blasio says limiting council members’ outside pay would reduce the appearance of conflicts of interest.
Formally categorizing the jobs as full time “would preclude outside employment other than de minimis activities — such as writing an article or teaching as an adjunct professor,” de Blasio wrote to City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito.
With the mayor’s signature, the recommendations of the Quadrennial Advisory Commission will go before the council.
The panel said council members other than the speaker should receive a 23 percent pay increase to $138,315 and the bonuses they receive for chairing commissions should be eliminated. The speaker should make $154,375, the panel said.
The panel said the mayor should be paid $258,750, based on factors including cost-of-living increases. De Blasio, who makes $225,000, said he will not accept a raise this term.
The city’s elected officials have not received a raise since 2006.
The Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association, representing rank-and-file police — who through arbitration recently received retroactive raises of 1 percent for each of two years — slammed the proposed raises as an “abomination.”

Things to do now on LI Rock climbing? Indoor beach volleyball? Water parks? Arts and crafts? NewsdayTV's Elisa DiStefano and Newsday deputy lifestyle editor Meghan Giannotta have your look at ways to spend your winter break.

Things to do now on LI Rock climbing? Indoor beach volleyball? Water parks? Arts and crafts? NewsdayTV's Elisa DiStefano and Newsday deputy lifestyle editor Meghan Giannotta have your look at ways to spend your winter break.