Education leaders' pay raises draw criticism

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10)-- New York State Education Commissioner Betty Rosa and SUNY Chancellor John King were both approved pay raises by their respective boards. The increases have sparked some controversy.

Rosa received a $155,000 increase, bringing her salary $489,000.

King’s salary was increased by $125,000, making it $875,000 annually along with a housing allowance of $15,000 a month. That puts him over a million dollars a year.

"He’s already getting paid over $800,000 a year," said Senator Jake Ashby. "Can he not afford a place to live?"

We reached out to king to ask about the compensation, but got a statement from SUNY, noting the SUNY Chancellor oversees the largest statewide system of public higher education, but “….The current compensation level for the SUNY Chancellor remains more than $100,000 lower than the compensation for similar public university leaders in California, Maryland, and Texas.”

"I don’t care what California is doing," said Senator James Skoufis. "I don’t care what what a couple of other states are doing. If this job was $500,000 year, I guarantee you, we would have no problem recruiting top talent to run the SUNY system."

Senator James Skoufis would like King’s pay raise to be taken back.

"This is a guy who is fleecing my constituents and the taxpayers for New York State, while his very own students are working the night shift in order to afford to go to college. He should give back the pay raise and then some," said Skoufis.

The Democratic Senator is re-introducing a bill that would require the legislature and division of budget to approve proposed pay raises for state higher education officials. Republican Senator Jake Ashby is also sponsoring legislation that would also give lawmakers a say.

"That would require a two thirds vote in the Senate to provide a salary higher than $250,000,the Governor’s Salary, for any department head or agency head in state government."