<p> <i>62.5 percent -- </i>Nice raise if you can get it. The top political aide to John <a href="/topics/John_L._Sampson">Sampson</a>, the Democratic leader of the State <a href="/topics/U.S._Senate">Senate</a>, got that eye-popping increase for his part-time job. The extra $50,000 would have brought Paul Rivera's salary up to $130,000 while allowing him to keep his 25-hour workweek. Sampson, who is seeking to regain control of the chamber, rescinded the raise last week after <a href="/topics/U.S._Democratic_Party">Democrats</a> howled and <a href="/topics/U.S._Republican_Party">Republicans</a> delighted in how the boost would play on the campaign trail. The retroactive raise rightly turned out to be radioactive.</p>

62.5 percent -- Nice raise if you can get it. The top political aide to John Sampson, the Democratic leader of the State Senate, got that eye-popping increase for his part-time job. The extra $50,000 would have brought Paul Rivera's salary up to $130,000 while allowing him to keep his 25-hour workweek. Sampson, who is seeking to regain control of the chamber, rescinded the raise last week after Democrats howled and Republicans delighted in how the boost would play on the campaign trail. The retroactive raise rightly turned out to be radioactive.

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