February 01, 2010
NYS employee benefits skyrocket
For every $100, the state of New York spends on employee salaries, it now spends another $44 on benefits. That figure will jump to $62 dollars in three years, according to the budget division.
As the New York Post reports: The price of providing state workers with generous pensions and gold-plated health plans could reach a mind-boggling $7.9 billion by 2012 -- a 42 percent increase over the current tab, state budget documents show. (snip) Today, the average state worker costs taxpayers about $91,724, including $63,750 for wages, plus $27,974 for pensions, health care and other goodies.
The average cost of pay and benefits could balloon to $114,000 a year if trends continue through 2012, according to a Post analysis of the data. Perks alone would cost $43,000. (snip) Benefit costs are projected to jump $880 million in 2010 alone, a 16 percent increase over the current $5.5 billion bill.
Noteworthy elsewhere:
Employees of the Long Island Power Authority will not get a 2 percent raise approved by the authority's board in December, Newsday reports (link for subscribers only).
LIPA chief Kevin Law announced the raises for about 90 non-unionized employees have been revoked. "Given the economic climate, it was hard to be giving out raises, modest as they were," he said after the meeting. "With Long Islanders struggling in so many ways I thought it appropriate to freeze salaries."
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