Reisman: Assemblyman Abinanti makes case for more pay

Several years ago, I really ticked off Tom Abinanti.

Abinanti was a Westchester county legislator then. I had written a bunch of columns about the board's effort to sneak in a pay raise for itself, and my critical commentary messed up the plan — at least Abinanti thought so.

The feisty little Democrat was livid, accosting me in the hall outside the legislative chambers. There was a lot of finger pointing and shouting. I thought Abinanti was going to spontaneously burst into flames. That's how funny it was, though nobody was laughing at the time.

Abinanti's argument was that he deserved a salary increase because he took his responsibilities seriously and worked hours that far exceeded the supposed part-time parameters of the job. He felt a bump in pay was deserved. Few things are more unpopular to the taxpaying public than politicians who vote themselves a raise, but Abinanti, who was adamant, was unafraid to make a spirited case for himself.

Individual politicians might be worthy of reward, but the problem for Abinanti and other workaholic worthies in his trade is a perception that all elected officials are crooks. The perception is understandable given that so many are prosecuted for all sorts of corrupt activity.

"Of course it is!" Abinanti said the other day. "But I can't account for the stupidity of other people."

By "other people," he meant, for example, Assemblyman Eric Stevenson of the Bronx, who this year was convicted of accepting $20,000 in bribes and sentenced to three years in prison. Abinanti called him an "idiot."

Abinanti is now an Assembly member himself. He still believes he deserves a fatter paycheck — though he doesn't hold out much hope that Albany lawmakers will succeed in getting a raise from the $79,500 annual base pay that's been in place for 15 years.

Most legislators receive a lot more than that because of stipends. In Tuesday's column, I mentioned three Assembly members from the local delegation who received only the minimum $79,500 in 2013. After the column appeared, Abinanti called me to complain that he should have been included with his three colleagues, despite his pay being listed at $82,500.

"I didn't take the health insurance plan, so they paid me for not taking those benefits," he said. "I think I got $3,000 for that."

I told him this would be clarified.

But Abinanti, who almost always has a lot to say, offered a long explanation as to why the state Legislature should get more money. The issue is a political third rail that he fearlessly embraces with both hands. As a rule of thumb, he said, the Legislature should get less than Congress ($175,000) and more than New York City Council ($112,500).

"We had an Assembly member who was elected and then one year later ran for City Council because the council pay is much better," he said. "Plus, you don't have to go to Albany. You don't have to disrupt your life."

Abinanti argued that better pay will attract better people for public office. This is especially true, he said, in legislative districts in the New York City suburbs where the cost of living is high. He recalled seeing a $150,000 listing for a 10-acre farm outside Auburn.

"You can't buy a 700-foot apartment in my district for $150,000," he said. "You go to Mount Vernon, you get a condemned property." He was really warming up at this point. "I mean, you gotta look at the standard of living. That's the problem here."

Outside work brings only a nominal amount of extra income, said Abinanti, who has a private law practice. That's because most of his time is devoted to being an elected representative. And the time problem is exacerbated by legislators, who serve two-year terms, always seeming to be campaigning for re-election.

"The public demands that you be available 24 hours a day, all year long," Abinanti said.

Here's a thought. Raise the pay to, say, $115,000 a year and then increase the term of office to four years. In exchange, impose term limits — two terms and that's it.

This improves the pay while reinforcing the idea that elected office is a public service, not a lifetime sinecure. That by itself wouldn't eliminate corruption, but common sense dictates that an unambiguous law that automatically strips crooked politicians of their pensions would help.

Abinanti is realistic. And he's not whining, though it may sound like he is. The truth is he loves being a politician. "I chose this," he said. "I chose to do this. I can't say I didn't. This is the life I chose."

Reach Phil Reisman at preisman@lohud.com Twitter: @philreisman.