The Legislature's image machine

Something to contemplate in the face of news the state is now facing a $12.5 billion deficit next year ...

Many state Senators, and some Assembly members, have a press spokesman on their office staff. In addition, the Senate spent $1 million last budget year to employ 15 in its central press offices, and another 20 people and $1.3 million in something called the "Senate Communications/Director's Office." The boss, John McArdle, made $180,000 last year. Plus a state car.

That's just the beginning.

Both chambers operate a variety of "communication" services. They employ web site designers, graphic artists, photographers, television producers, event coordinators and the like.

The Senate employs no fewer than seven photographers, including four full-timers, who make up to $42,600. I can't imagine there's enough work to keep them busy during the session, much less the other seven or eight months of the year.

The Assembly, not to be undone, has a "Radio/TV and Photography" department. Two of them, actually, one for the Democrats, another for the Republicans. They employ only one photographer, but 26 other people, at a cost of $1.5 million last budget year. Among the job titles: Reporter.

I think not.

Add up all the assorted PR functions and you have 87.5 jobs and $5.3 million in spending on the Senate side and 106.5 jobs and $5.5 million in the Assembly.

But wait, there's more.

We've also got mail and printing services, which produce and mail newsletters for legislators among a wider range of activities. The Senate operation employed 55.5 workers last year and spent $5.4 million. The Assembly had a staff of 66 and spent $8 million.

This indirect spending, not included in the expenses allocated to individual legislators, averages up to $155,000 per senator and $90,000 per Assembly member. It's little wonder why more than 95 percent of incumbents win re-election.

Comments

[lanres]

Yes , the tax funded "Image Machine" feeds images to the papers/news media the workers buy , the local paper the voters buy tells them to "Re-Elect Incumbents" - no wonder more than 95% were "Re-endorsed and Re-elected" with the help of the "Image Machine" and both are fed/supported by the working mans money ! ? ! DA!!!!!!!!!!

[BobbyCat]

Outrageous.

Has even one incumbent stepped up to the plate and tried to eliminate this waste? Who?

The next time one of them promises to eliminate waste, ask them what they have done about this outrage.

It must be embarassing to be an incumbent.The State Legislature is like a drunk driver weaving down the street, ready to crash at every turn.

Yet how does this outrage square with the NEWS' endorsements - sending most of them back to Albany?

[ileasj]

It's sickening how these people are bleeding us. Who's going to be left to pay for all of this?
The really bad part is how some of them manipulate the retirement system by jacking up their last three years of pay to inflate their retirement benefit (and it's not just the cops). But, the people who have the power to change it (and their minions) are all benefiting from this system, and have no incentive to change it.
What's going to happen, and we are already beginning to see this, is that there will be less money for the services we have come to expect from government. An example--part of Tonawanda Creek Road (a County Road) in Clarence caved in almost 5 years ago, and still hasn't been repaired. It's like we're living in a third world country!

[Hank]

I continue to wonder at the large number of people in NYS who allow this to continue. I know many who have shifted assets and family members to much more welcoming areas, from the Dakotas to the Northwest, while maintaining worthwhile endeavors here. To continue living "all in" here is to support the egregious employers and politicians who have shown they do not understand the word sacrifice, as our men and women soldiers are doing. The Gordon Gekko's in NYS have hamster-multiplied. The choices, and endorsements, in Tuesday's election are confirmation that nothing will change. I'm prepared, but it looks like most residents like being taken to the cleaners.

[John Chew]

Why not put all the State union represenatives in a room and ask them for proposals to address the budget shortfalls?
Starting with the issues in this article.
I would particularly like to hear from the school teachers leader.

[paterno]

And the News keeps endorsing incumbents because of the fact that they are "experienced". Right, experienced at screwing the taxpayer over.

[RKT]

People in WNY love their politicians. Look at the incumbabcy rate. The News loves them too. Expect higher taxes next year. There will be no cuts and expect more people to move out while the getting is good. Politicians in NY have always been about one thing..themselves. Won't change this year and won't change in 2 years or 4 years. People in this region feel their elected rep is the right person, it's everybody else's that is the problem.

[syssks]

The finely tuned "politicians union" system in New York, is a well oiled, greased up, machine. It took decades of getting there, with the right "same faces", to grease the wheels.

Golden wages and parachutes are their only goals. I personally knew of someone who was well off and connected, that entered the system, very "briefly", just to sweeten up their already comfortable retirement. A few years of easy service, got him a lifetime of beneftits.

Retirements that pay almost as much as full time wages??
Six figure retirements abound?

That is the name of whole GAME. The system has always sucked, and you expect THEM to change it?

Ever try to shoot your own foot for the betterment
of others? L.O.L.!! Welcome to the "Golden Retirement Track Railroad" SYSTEM of New York. If your "in", your "in".

[lanres]

Lets say all the "Bloated Pension loop holes were closed - the wasteful spending was stopped" - we are still facing a financial crisis for years to come - in large part because even if we get rid of(they all retire)- all these Elected & Appointed Guys/Gals they will still be eating our tax-dollars the rest of their lives. _ _ _ God Bless American Democracy !

[Jim Heaney, author, Outrages & Insights]

Folks, there's no basis to rail against unions on this spending by Legislature. All the lawyers, flaks, etc. I've been writing about serve at the pleasure of the Legislature and are not represented by unions.

[HapKlein]

Anywhere you look in New York we mostly suffer from incumbency, gerrymandering and the inability for new talent and ability elected to any office.
The current local races point up the ridiculous outcome of this. Virtually guaranteed seats for current officeholders.
Since they are secure in office and safe from any criticism they endlessly feather their nest.
It is especially poignant to note that in the past thirty years that many of these very same folk have been in office the state has gone south, and west and just about anywhere to get away from the slumping state economy and rising taxes. I personally have three siblings who thrive in other areas and don’t even consider coming back.
If it wasn’t for agriculture New York would be among the poverty states and the future now looks worse.
Imagine if those legislators had paid attention to what was going on elsewhere and had not heeded our beloved special interests my family might have remined here. If the legislature invested in technical schools and improved educational facilities rather than constructing a luxurious staff we may not be as bad off as we are.
And imagine we are going to witness all of them getting re-elected, then re-elected then re-elected.

[lanres]

-- This years elections are showing many that, New York State Government finally employs enough people to over-ride the needs of "Non Tax Paid" employees. .