Editorial from the Daily News:This is the day when the City Council feasts on lulus. Members who stand securely in the good graces of Speaker Christine Quinn will get the first of two installments of the annual bonuses by which she rewards loyalty.
The Council justifies awarding the stipends - on top of the legally set salary of $112,500 - by depicting them as added compensation for committee work. Virtually everyone gets some such task, along with yearly payouts that range from $4,000 to $28,500. Most typical is a $10,000 boost.
Members of Congress, no matter how senior or how hefty their committee loads, get no added compensation. And for a very good reason. Legislators who are beholden to their leaders for big chunks of money will be far more likely to do as they are told rather than buck the bosses.
Quinn, who gets the biggest lulu, is foursquare behind the system. Others recognize its corrosive influence.
Before the 2009 election, the good-government group Citizens Union surveyed Council candidates. One inquiry read: "What is your position on eliminating or limiting stipends for committee chairs and leadership positions?"
Most of those who were elected backed dropping or reducing lulus. Some have lived up to their word. Daniel Garodnick of Manhattan, Ydanis Rodriguez of Manhattan and Brad Lander of Brooklyn are refusing the money. Good going.
Thirteen say they'll donate their lulus to charity: Gale Brewer and Rosie Mendez of Manhattan; Mathieu Eugene, David Greenfield, Letitia James, Steven Levin and Darlene Mealy of Brooklyn; Karen Koslowitz, Eric Ulrich, Jimmy Van Bramer and Ruben Wills of Queens; Debi Rose of Staten Island, and James Vacca of the Bronx.
Then there are the hypocrites who said they opposed lulus but are taking the money: Fernando Cabrera and Helen Foster of the Bronx; Margaret Chin of Manhattan; Daniel Dromm and Julissa Ferreras of Queens; Sara Gonzalez and Diana Reyna of Brooklyn.
For the record, Foster insists she never filled out a questionnaire expressing opposition to lulus. Strange. Someone signed the name "Helen Diane Foster" to such a document. You can look it up on the Citizens Union website. Foster should check it out herself.
17 comments:
It's good to be the Queen!
"Most typical is a $10,000 boost."
That's all?
Small potatoes.
Lulu or Liu Liu. You decide!
While the feds are rounding up the mobsters all over the city that could make a stop at the city council and grab sixty or seventy more.
It really seems to me that these "lulus" are really "COMMISSIONS " paid out to Coucilmembers who really don't need them.
The $ 18 grand given to the top "EARNER" of the Council , namely Domenic Recchia is really criminal in my eyes.
Why didn't he donate this money to some non-profit in his district or even to the CB 13 , do really don't have to sell T-shirts to make ends meet.
And Councilman Mike Nelson is any better than Councilman Recchia.
Both have shown their true colors.
Their mantra is " what's in it for me."
Phew! I'm so relieved that you're not talking about the New York State discretionary funds. Now I don't have to explain why I gave over half a million dollars to the North Flushing Senior Center (NFSC). Did I mention that I helped to create the NFSC?
Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!
You're all so gullible!!!
We have no money but let our tax dollars go to these "DO NOTHING" council members.
No one should get a bonus ! Your raising property taxes and the city is broke. I'm so sick of this city's BS and I think the new governor should agree since he said there won't be any increases on property tax or is that another lie or doesn't apply to us. They did a horrible job in the snow BLIZZARD BUT THEY FEEL THEY DESERVE A FREAKING CHECK!
Our councilman just sent our organization a letter stating "in a time when teachers are being laid off and Firehouses closing" I ask one thing: Councilman Halloran how much of a lulu did you get? No wonder there is no money, these fucking thieves are robing us blind. 127 mobsters arrested? What about these Organized Criminals?
To Linda ~
From what I've read about Cuomo's "Property Tax Cap" it pertains to the suburbs, not New York City's 5 Boroughs.
Stop this practice - we cannot afford it and nor is it ethical
the democrats only get the lulu's, from the democrat/progressive city council president.
please check this statement out later this week.
Cuomo II still doesn't get it.
In the burbs we need a School tax cap more then property !!
Family's with kids in Queens are fleeing like rats from a sinking ship.
They live with family in Long Island, go into hock, anything to get their kids out of NYC schools. Schools are on the way to bursting. There are also more administrators and office space then students. These people are worse then big government with wasting $$
And the topic again goes away from the focus of the story. These pieces of Crap are "part timers" making over $100,000 a year to get "LULUS" meanwhile they want Wall Street to stop bonuses, and take away Pension Benefits from NYC union employees.
FOCUS PEOPLE FOCUS.
Lulu or Liu Liu. You decide!
Depends??!!?!
Depends??!!?!
My favorite brand!!!
Criminals. All of them.
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