Sentences with phrase «per diems»

The federal indictment found Scarborough claimed per diems 174 times between 2009 and 2012 for days he either wasn't in Albany or didn't spend enough time outside the district to be eligible for the payment.

And any pay hike may also be tied to changes in overall lawmaker pay, such as capping the amount legislators can receive from outside jobs and imposing new documentation requirements to collect per diems.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, a Democrat, has also advocated ending per diems altogether.

Heastie stands out for claiming the third - largest expense haul of any Assembly member in 2014 — collecting mileage and per diems exceeding $ 22,000.

In Albany, where most of the per diems are paid since lawmakers have to be there during the legislative session, the per diem has risen from $ 160 to $ 171 per day.

The commission also conducted «dozens of interviews» with public officials, lobbyists and their clients, political insiders, whistleblowers and both «expert and lay witnesses,» and sought lawmakers» payrolls, timesheets, per diems and travel expenses, records of when they entered and exited official buildings, and any other records that could «potentially improper personal and political uses of public funds,» according to the report.

Since 2015, lawmakers have had to prove they are actually in Albany to get their per diems, but other proposed reforms have gone nowhere.

Three New York City lawmakers — Democrats Diane Savino, Leroy Comrie and Gustavo Rivera — tied for second place, collecting $ 11,725 each in per diems.

Assemblywoman Kimberly Jean - Pierre, a Democrat from Long Island, received $ 16,372 in per diems for the first six months of this year compared to $ 9,775 for all of last year.

They must be shown how they must wisely evaluate the many offers they will receive, make responsible decisions, file their per diems accounts and employ best ethical practices in all their affairs.

Lawmakers earn a base salary of $ 79,500, and critics have said some legislators take an aggressive approach to claiming per diems to pad their earnings.

«Only Andrew Cuomo would believe that replacing a state legislator who claimed per diems for expenses when not at work with a former Governor who was fined for shaking down the Yankees for playoff tickets is a solution to the ethical problems within the Democratic Party,» said Howie Hawkins, the Green Party candidate who will face off against Cuomo if he wins the Democratic Party nod for a second term.

Says he could do an audit of per diems, but there are limits on what can be done there.

7:54 pm: Juan asks DiNapoli whether legislators should give the Comptroller receipts for their per diems?

It's hard to believe that in the world of black Suburbans [with reimbursed mileage], multiple aides, duplicative offices, patronage ponies, free breakfests and per diems to cover dinner and drinks that the Governor and «leaders» can not negotiate in good faith to protect the services and benefits that help New Yorkers that are struggling.

«I had a decision to make, whether to use per diems, taxpayer money, to use like every elected official with the exception of the governor, uses in Albany or use funds, my private campaign funds before making a more permanent decision down the road,» Duffy said.

He also proposed that lawmakers convicted of corruption be required to forfeit their taxpayer - funded pensions, that per diems be given either to reimburse specific travel expenses or as a lump sum, and that more stringent campaign finance laws be enacted to prevent campaign funds from going to personal use.

But Farrell collected per diems that amounted to about $ 1,800 per month — triple the typical monthly mortgage payment for a house like his.

Legislators will need to electronically verify their travel in order to collect per diems, at least «when practicable» to do so.

In a Facebook post she also indicated that people at the company are not working but rather interested in travelling and taking per diems.

No need to pack too many clothes because when eating most meals for free, the fabulous Legislators still can use the extra per diems to spend on their odds and ends.

Hooper, a Long Island Democrat who is routinely the Legislature's top recipient of per diems and other travel expenses, received $ 26,180.93 in 2015, according to data published by state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli's office.

I was appalled at the per diems these guys received when they were merely gaveling in and out in June.

Some state lawmakers are collecting per diems in Albany even when the Legislature isn't in session.

In 2013 - 14, Fitzgerald claimed the highest per diems, at $ 30,712, followed by Barca, at $ 26,224.

The Bronx pol managed to receive his per diems — payments for each day spent in Albany — despite missing 173 votes last year, about 15 % of the total votes held during the year, according to the New York Public Interest Research Group.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, who claimed more than $ 19,000 in per diems in 2013 - 14, has said the changes were tailored to be «cost - neutral.»

New York state lawmakers are pushing for their first pay raise in fifteen years, and say in exchange they might be willing to give up the practice of a daily stipend for each day they spend in Albany, known as per diems, that has sometimes led to abuse.

Per diems are no small expense.

«There will be an electronic verification system that actually monitors and tracks the attendance for people who claim per diems,» Mr. Cuomo said.

«Reimbursements will be governed by the IRS regulations, and the legislature will be putting together a website that will allow you to see, will allow the public to see who is getting what per diems.»

He put in for $ 5,470 in per diems, $ 1,680 in personal car payments and $ 93.75 in tolls in 2010.

«This commission would be charged with not only evaluating pay, but also legislative per diems, expense reimbursement, and other non-salary benefits.

The lion's share came from per diems.

Gov. Paterson has called lawmakers back this Wednesday and he's saying he'll keep them here until the budget is completed — which means more per diems expenses.

Coming from as far away as many of those in the top 10, former Assemblywoman Ann Margaret Carrazza, from Queens County, took in just $ 6,975 in reimbursements, including $ 3,015 in per diems and $ 3,960 in personal car use.

Given the number of lawmakers who normally seek reimbursement for their meal and lodging costs, the daily cost of the extraordinary session will top more than $ 30,000 per day in per diems, not including mileage reimbursements or staff expenses and other costs not easily measured.

In the Senate, Sen. Kemp Hannon, R - Nassau County, spent the most on per diems, $ 14,865, a roughly $ 800 personal increase from last year.

Records from the Comptroller's Office show the Republican - led Senate spent $ 516,419 on per diems — a decline of more than $ 100,000 from the same January through June time period.

Senate and Assembly lawmakers combined spent less on per diems in 2011 so far than over a similar period last year, according to records obtained through the Freedom of Information Law.

That's why per diems exist.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver on Tuesday indicated to reporters in Albany he would be open to changing how per diems are allocated to state lawmakers, possibly as a way to achieve a pay increase for the Legislature.

So far, William Scarborough is not facing any charges, and he says he's followed all the rules for per diems and other official business.

So Dick - Enjoy the Suburban, security detail and the credit card for per diems.

The days when officials make money on per diems must be over.

Per diems have become backdoor salary supplements.

We must ensure that per diems are only for actual and necessary costs or paid as a fixed amount.

And what we've seen is lulus and committee chairmanship bonuses and an expansive use of per diems — wrongly used as a proxy for a legislative pay increase.

Legislators travel to Albany because they make money on the per diems, believe it or not.

He said stakeholders are lined up at these seminars, paid per diems, eat fried rice and drink other assorted drinks at the detriment of these children.