John Salka, the Republican Party’s candidate for the New York State Assembly’s 121st District, recently spoke out against the state’s plan to increase legislator’s pay by 47 percent to $116,000 a year. Salka challenged his opponent, incumbent Assemblyman Bill Magee, a Democrat from Nelson, to join him in pledging to donate any pay raise for legislators to local charities.
“Legislators should be focused on public service,” said Salka. “They should not be focused on enriching themselves at the expense of hardworking taxpayers. Donating the raise to charity is simply the right thing to do.”
Last year, Magee worked with New York City Democrats to establish the commission doling out the controversial pay hike. In an effort to dodge the inevitable public outcry from voting themselves a raise, these lawmakers decided that the commission’s recommendations for a pay increase would stand unless they actively voted it down.
Salka said he doesn’t think it was fair to area families and small businesses.
“When was the last time most people around here saw a 47 percent pay increase? When so many families are struggling to pay their mortgages, keep food on the table and afford college, it is pretty shocking that lawmakers want more of their money for themselves,” said Salka. “In my experience, a raise is a reward for excelling at your job from the people you work for. In my view, representatives work for the people of their district. I doubt most folks consider their assemblyman’s job description to include raising taxes, imposing costly mandates and financing corrupt economic development programs. This is not a performance worth rewarding.”
“Mr. Magee and his friends from New York City could have advocated for cutting taxes to make their lives more affordable,” Salka said. “Instead, they fought for billions in new taxes in the same session they sought to stuff more taxpayer dollars into their own pockets. If elected, I will donate any pay increase to local charities. He should make the same commitment.”
A proposal made at a July 26 meeting of the commission would also raise Governor Andrew Cuomo’s $179,000 per year salary to $263,000 annually.
This is LOW. Every Republican Assemblyman voted AGAINST raising minimum wage. Magee voted for it. Every Democrat voted for raising the minimum wage except one. What has Salka done to help with livable wages except to complain about it from a small business perspective? And didn’t Salka orchestrate his own pay raise in the little hamlet of Brookfield, while instituting a “Community Decorum” rule that severely limits the ability of the people to have a say in their local government?
Continued gratitude for supporting and defending the small people, John!
Since Salka has never turned down a pay raise as TOWN or COUNTY Supervisor… why doesn’t he do it first?..and while he may never have voted for 100% supervisor health coverage..he knew full well the rest of the gang would pass it … and did he turn it down “on principle”? I think not.
I have to agree with Honna, we know him well here in Brookfield.