Spitzer’s Aides Well-Paid to Serve
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ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) – Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s top 10 aides are drawing paychecks totaling more than $1.5 million, according to payroll records obtained Friday.
That’s about the same rate aides for the Pataki administration collected, according to a late 2006 payroll.
Spitzer’s top 10 hires so far make nearly $1.55 million a year. Pataki’s top 10 made $1.56 million. The governor’s salary is set by law at $179,000. But Spitzer had 17 hires paid $150,000 a year or more. That compared to 12 in the closing weeks of Pataki’s administration after some staffers left for other jobs.
Many of Spitzer’s hires are attorneys and corporate leaders and some are taking substantial pay cuts to join the administration.
But the big bucks are in the state’s public authorities, legally separate entities created by the Legislature to run specific systems on their own revenue and borrowing. For example, Spitzer’s executive director and CEO of the Metropolitan Transit Authority is paid $340,000, including a housing allowance and other benefits.
Pataki’s MTA executive director, Katherine Lapp, received a total compensation package of $327,000 a year, according to state comptroller’s office records.
And Spitzer’s downstate chairman of the Empire State Development Corp., Pat Foye, is paid $160,000. An upstate counterpart will soon be named. Pataki’s Empire State Development Corp. chairman, Charles Gargano, was paid nearly $165,000, the comptroller’s records show.
In the executive chamber, Spitzer has altered some of the job titles from those under Pataki. But the comparison of Spitzer’s payroll so far with Pataki’s in late 2006 shows many similarities:
_Spitzer’s secretary to the governor, a top post, is held by Rich Baum. He is paid $178,500, the same as Pataki’s John Cahill.
_Spitzer’s director of communications, Darren Dopp, is paid $175,000; Pataki’s David Catalfamo was paid $175,100.
_Spitzer’s director of state operations, Olivia Golden, is paid $169,000 compared to Pataki’s James Natoli at $175,680.
_Spitzer’s appointments secretary, who handles hiring, Francine James, makes $165,000. That’s the same as Pataki’s appointments officer, Robert Bulman.
Other top Spitzer hires have different titles than those under Pataki, but similar salaries. Among them are Spitzer’s Paul Francis, budget director and senior adviser, at $175,680; Policy Director Peter Pope at $165,000; Senior Adviser Lloyd Constantine at $155,000; Counsel David Concenti at $175,000; Special Counsel Richard Rifkin at $155,000; and Press Secretary Christine Anderson at $150,000.
Many of Spitzer’s hires served in the attorney general’s office during his two terms. Most get a boost of tens of thousands of dollars for moving across the Capitol’s second floor to the executive chamber.
“These are tough jobs that demand a high level of dedication and personal sacrifice,” said Catalfamo, Pataki’s spokesman. “And while the salaries are generous by public service standards, they don’t make up for the missed Little League games, the rushed holidays or all the forgone dinners with your family.”
In the Pataki administration, it was common for top aides to also contribute to Pataki’s campaigns. So far, that doesn’t appear as common with Spitzer, who has promised to hire without regard to politics.
Spitzer’s senior adviser, lawyer Lloyd Constantine, gave Spitzer $62,300 in recent years and his law firm, Constantine Cannon, gave another $10,000, according to state Board of Elections records. Jan Constantine, with the same home address in New York City as Lloyd Constantine, gave another $6,400.
Spitzer’s Medicaid director, lawyer Debra Bachrach, contributed $6,350 to Spitzer in recent years and $500 to Spitzer running mate David Paterson’s lieutenant governor campaign.
In addition, Spitzer’s new director of criminal justice services, Denise O’Donnell, gave Spitzer $2,000 in three separate contributions. She is the former federal prosecutor from Buffalo.
Spitzer’s appointment as assistant secretary for energy and communications, Steve Mitnick, gave a total of $2,000 to Spitzer in 2005 and 2006. Mitnick is a lawyer from Washington who specialized in energy issues.
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AP Writer Michael Hill contributed to this report from Albany.
