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After Small Victory, Bloomberg Still Gives Big Bonuses
By
Ben Muessig
Published Dec 30, 2009
Modified Dec 30, 2009
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By
Ben Muessig
Published Dec 30, 2009
Modified Dec 30, 2009
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The city's richest man keeps living up to his big spending reputation — even after his poorer-than-expected performance at the polls. Despite fears that after his narrow third term victory, Mayor Bloomberg wouldn't pay out the big bonuses that his campaign staffers have come to expect, the Times reports that he's giving out "roughly the same generous checks to his staff as he did after winning office in 2001 and 2005 — 20 percent of each worker's total wages."
Bloomberg, who has given individual staffers bonuses of $100,000 in past campaigns, is expected to dole out at least $1 million in the next few weeks, if not more. So far, checks ranging from $5,000 to $25,000 have appeared in the bank accounts of many campaign staffers. The Times notes that political operative Basil Smikle got a bonus of $23,368 on top of his $116,841 salary, while field director Maura Keaney netted $31,345 on top of her salary of $156,000.
Dick Dadey, executive director of the good government group Citizens Union, said that the bonuses "are no surprise given his past practice, but this year's practice may sit worse than the ones before with so many New Yorkers struggling financially."
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