Legislators hike pay, but others have needs

I am amazed how quickly the legislators approved hiking their salaries to become the highest-paid state legislators in the nation, approved by Gov. Kathy Hochul [“Hochul signs pay raise for state legislators,” News, Jan. 2]. However, since the late 1980s, the Medicaid personal needs allowance has remained at $50 per month. The elderly and infirm on Medicaid use this money to cover monthly personal expenses. It doesn’t go far today. To have the same spending power, that $50 would need to be increased to about $130.

For the past several years, I have talked to state legislators regarding increasing the personal needs allowance for Medicaid recipients in nursing homes. I am grateful that legislation has been proposed to increase the personal needs allowance and has had many co-sponsors. However, this bill has not moved out of committee.

I hope now that state legislators have increased their own income, they will move the Medicaid allowance for a vote.

Shouldn’t New York treat our elderly and infirm with more dignity and respect?

— Chris Ferencsik, West Islip

Only a few hours into her historic term as governor of New York, Kathy Hochul signed the bill providing raises to both state legislative bodies. State legislators became the highest paid in the country.

New York’s debt is also one of the highest of any state, at more than $203 billion.

— Andrew Siegel, Farmingdale

There is something wrong with a system that allows legislators to grant themselves a large increase in compensation with other people’s money — ours, the taxpayers.

— Trude Hassberg, Flushing

Was pharmacist held accountable?

I wonder if the pharmacist who gave former teacher Laura Parker Russo a vial with four extra doses of COVID-19 vaccine was held accountable [“No jail time in teen vaccine case,” News, Dec. 17]. That action seems highly questionable.

— Gail Teicher, Huntington