SYRACUSE -- It's been more than a month since the State budget was due, and legislators aren't getting paid until it's passed. However, they will get that money eventually, and it adds up.
Legislators make a base salary of $79,500 per year. If you divide that by 260 working days, lawmakers make about $305.77 each day. There have been 32 business days since the budget deadline. If you multiply that by the salaries of 212 lawmakers, it adds up to more than $2 million earned with no budget results.
That doesn't include extra pay, like money given for holding a leadership position.
Lawmakers will receive their earnings when they come to an agreement on the budget. The legislature's pay cannot be taken away completely because of questions of constitutionality. Some lawmakers say they don't know if it would make a difference, anyway.
"If I thought we could give up our pay, and the budget would be passed, I'd be all for it," says Assemblyman Will Barclay (R-124th District). "I'm not sure that's going to be the driving force."
Also, even if the legislature isn't delivering on the budget, lawmakers say they're still working seven days a week.
"I've got events all weekend long," says Assemblyman Al Stirpe (D-121st District). "This weekend, every evening, there's something that you need to go to. There's always meetings you need to go to, etc. It's not like we're out on a beach somewhere."
For now, lawmakers are going to Albany only three days each week. Some say they believe they should be there all the time working to get a budget passed. However, others say until some type of agreement is reached by the leadership, they may be better off working in their home districts.
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