Most New York voters say it’s time for the state’s 213 legislators to be considered full-time, with their current $79,500 base salary unchanged and outside earnings prohibited, according to new poll released Monday.
The Siena poll shows the overwhelming majority of voters, 89%, think corruption is a serious problem in Albany. Two-thirds say it’s a serious problem among legislators from their own area.
Several government reform advocates back curbing legislators’ outside income as one way of addressing corruption and conflicts of interest. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has proposed limiting it to 15% of state pay, similar to the limit on Congress.