Conservative Party Accuses Albany Democrats of “Bleeding Taxpayers” Over Proposed Legislative Pay Increase

The New York State Conservative Party is sharply criticizing Democratic leaders in Albany, accusing them of prioritizing their own financial interests while residents struggle with rising costs across the state.

Gerard Kassar - NY State Conservative Party Chariman

In a statement released this week, Gerard Kassar, chairman of the New York State Conservative Party, blasted Democrats for supporting a potential pay increase for state lawmakers and floated changes to the legislative election cycle.

Kassar said the proposal would raise salaries for members of the New York State Legislature from the current $142,000 to $180,000 — a roughly 26% increase — and would coincide with a shift from two-year to four-year election cycles for state legislators.

“Democrats want bigger paychecks, fewer elections, and less accountability,” Kassar said. “All for the privilege of driving New York State into a ditch economically and keeping it there.”

The criticism comes just two years after lawmakers approved a significant salary increase for themselves. In 2022, legislators’ base pay rose from $110,000 to $142,000, making them the highest-paid state legislators in the nation. The raise was signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul. Additionally, lawmakers have pointed to the fact that NY is one of only a handful of full-time state legislators around the country.

The 2022 law also included a cap limiting lawmakers’ outside earned income to $35,000 annually, a measure supporters said was designed to reduce potential conflicts of interest. For now, however, the income cap is not being enforced due to pending lawsuits filed by several Republican lawmakers who argue the restriction is unconstitutional.

Kassar argued that the earlier raise — a roughly 29% increase — occurred quietly and without sufficient public scrutiny. He accused Hochul of approving the increase while simultaneously warning about budget deficits and rising fiscal pressures on the state.

“Spendthrift Governor Kathy Hochul, who publicly pretends to lament about state deficits, signed the historic pay increase without blinking an eye,” Kassar said.

The Conservative Party leader also linked the proposed pay hike to what he described as broader financial pressures facing New Yorkers, including high taxes, congestion pricing, rising utility costs, and a growing number of fees and fines.

“New Yorkers are being bled dry by some of the highest taxes in America, congestion pricing, skyrocketing utility bills, endless tolls and transit fees, parking fines, and every other scheme Albany can dream up,” he said.

The party framed the debate as part of a larger affordability crisis in the state, arguing that Albany’s spending policies are worsening the financial burden on residents.

“If Governor Hochul were serious about unburdening New Yorkers and making the state more affordable, as she claims, she would cut taxes, cut spending, and leave the constitutionally mandated two-year election cycle alone,” Kassar said.

Supporters of legislative pay increases in past debates have argued that higher salaries can make public office more accessible to candidates who are not independently wealthy, allowing lawmakers to focus full time on legislative responsibilities. They have also pointed to the high cost of living in New York.

However, critics such as the Conservative Party say the timing of another proposed pay increase — amid continued complaints about affordability — sends the wrong message to taxpayers.

Kassar compared the situation to the notorious political machine that once dominated New York City politics.

“All they want is more power, more of our money, and less accountability,” he said. “It’s Tammany Hall on steroids.”

The proposal has not yet been finalized, and it remains unclear whether the Legislature will formally move forward with a new pay increase or changes to the election cycle. Any change to legislative term lengths would also require approval by New York voters through a statewide constitutional amendment.