Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos said he supports – in theory, anyway – the pay freeze Gov. Andrew Cuomo is seeking from state employees, in part because “as senators, we’ve had a pay freeze for 12 years.”

Whether the governor will be able to accomplish it or not, well, that’s another matter.

“I believe the issue of a pay freeze can be done unilaterally by the governor,” the Long Island lawmaker told members of the LCA earlier today. “That’s what I read according to some of you great reporters so we’ll see what the governor does with that.”

Actually, the freeze, while not subject to legislative approval, would require the unions to agree. The current state worker employee contracts expire at the end of March. CSEA spokesman Steve Madarasz told the NY Times the union would be open to discussing this matter with the new governor, but added:

“There’s a significant difference between negotiating in good faith, and issuing some kind of edict that may or may not be legal. It’s really all based on what action follows.”

Skelos was less supportive of Cuomo’s announcement he will be trimming his own salary and that of his top aides by 5 percent, saying:

“That’s his choice…I think what people are really looking for is for us to bring our government under control fiscally, that’s what they want right now. It has to be more than symbolism, it has to be action and results.”

Share|