Denenberg Discusses Legislature Pay Increase Controversy

The Nassau County Legislature's Jan. 25 vote to dramatically increase compensation for three legislators raised concerns among members of county government and the public.

The 11-8 party-line vote was supported exclusively by Republican legislators, two of whom defeated incumbent Democrat candidates in last November's election.

The proposed raises would have increased the pay of Presiding Officer Peter Schmitt (R-Massapequa), Deputy Officer John Ciotti (R-Valley Stream) and Minority Leader Diane Yatauro (D-Glen Cove) from $67,500 to $99,500, $62,000 to $84,000 and $63,500 to $90,500, respectively. The raises represented 47 percent, 35 percent and 42 percent salary increases.

The strong backlash against the increased compensation during an economic recession which adversely affected Nassau County, particularly after Republican candidates ran on fiscally conservative platforms and endorsed more limited and responsible economic policies, prompted recently elected Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano (R-Bethpage) to refer "the question of the legality of the raises to the county attorney's office for review."

County Comptroller George Maragos – who also benefitted from public discomfort with Democratic policies in county governance during recent years and won an election bid in November – froze the pay raises on Jan. 28 until he received an opinion from the county attorney's office.

Legislator Dave Denenberg (D-Merrick), who represents Nassau County Legislative District 19, which emcompasses Bellmore, North Bellmore, Merrick and portions of Freeport, North Merrick and Wantagh, is currently serving his sixth term. He was opposed to the idea of a salary increase as well as the manner in which the resolution was passed.

"We will try to repeal these raises at each and every meeting of the legislature," he said following the vote. "We will give [the county legislature] the opportunity again and again to do the right thing."

In a strong response to the Republican majority, the Merrick legislator put in an ordinance change and tried to amend the resolution to appeal what Schmitt and make it clear that legislators should not raise stipends to legislative leaders or salaries to legislators without notice to the public or an ordinance which cannot take effect until after the next election.

"As I said on Jan. 25 - when the very first item ever called and voted on by the new legislature was an unnoticed special resolution - increasing salaries is not just wrong because of the timing, it is wrong because of the way it was done and it is just plain wrong," Denenberg said. "The concept of, right after an election, ramming through pay raises right after an election is wrong. If you want a salary increase, then do it with notice to the public. If passed, the increase should not take place until after the next election."

On Feb. 22, Denenberg's demands were met when Schmitt repealed the resolution and admitted he was aware the county was suffering from a severe economic recession and of public opposition. However, the legislator was unsuccessful in his bid to introduce an amendment which would have required future increases to be subject to public notice requirements, as salary increases are.

With a base salary of $39,500, Nassau legislators, who generally work full-time hours in what is considered a part-time job, make less than half what their counterparts in Suffolk do.  But Denenberg said that money should not be an issue.

"This is the fourth or fifth time that I have voted against legislative salary increases to legislators," he said. "You should not be in public service for personal gain. Public service is about serving the public, not enriching oneself."

Legislator Norma Gonsalves (R-East Meadow), who represents District 13 - which encompasses East Meadow/Salisbury and sections of North Bellmore, Levittown, and North Merrick,  voted in favor of the resolution. She declined to comment for this story.