Judicial Compensation in New York: A National Perspective, Report

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2 JUDICIAL COMPENSATION IN NEW YORK: A NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE Executive Director, Metropolitan Transit Authority . . . . . . . .$340,000 Chancellor, NYC Dept. of Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$250,000 General Counsel, City University of New York . . . . . . . . . . .$220,000 Deputy Chancellor, NYC Dept. of Education . . . . . . . . . . . .$212,960 Agency Commissioners, New York City . . . . . . . . . . . .up to $189,700 Corporation Counsel, New York City . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$189,700 Director of Communications, NY State Senate . . . . . . . . . . .$180,000 Deputy Directors, State Division of the Budget . . . . . . . . . . .$169,733 Attorneys, State Comptroller’s Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . .up to $160,548 • More than 1,350 professors in the State and City University systems earn more than New York’s judges. • The Deans of New York’s public law schools earn more than any judge: University of Buffalo Law School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$232,899 CUNY Law School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$215,000 • More than 1,250 public school administrators across the State, from elementary school principals to superintendants of schools, earn more than New York’s judges: Levittown Superintendent of Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$292,642 Rochester Superintendent of Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$230,000 Elmira Superintendent of Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$161,200 Manhasset Elementary School Principal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$152,828 3. NEW YORK JUDGES’ PAY LAGS BEHIND PRIVATE-SECTOR ATTORNEY PAY • According to a 2004 New York State Bar Association study: – Partners at law firms of all sizes earned significantly more than New York’s judges. – The pay of senior partners at firms with fewer than 10 lawyers averaged $220,000. – The pay of senior partners at firms with 10 or more lawyers averaged $350,000. – New law school graduates hired by New York’s largest law firms in 2007 earn $160,000 annually, excluding bonuses.
REPORT TO THE CHIEF JUDGE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK 3 4. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS • Reliance on legislative and appropriation processes to set judicial salaries greatly increases the likelihood that judicial pay issues will be held captive to unrelated differences between the political branches of government, or to dissatisfaction with specific court decisions. • Judicial salary issues should be insulated from the political process. Judicial pay levels should be set regularly and justified based on accepted, easy to measure, objective benchmarks that render the process more transparent and less political. • Permanent bipartisan/nonpartisan compensation commissions, such as the one proposed by the New York State Judiciary, are the best vehicles for achieving credible review of judicial salaries. • Judicial salaries in New York should be adjusted to fair and competitive levels, and Chief Judge Kaye’s legislative proposal to establish a permanent commission-based system for the regular adjustment of judicial salaries should be enacted.
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Judicial Compensation in New York: A National Perspective, Report

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