Commission weighing judge pay raises meets twice in NYC this month

State law requires the governor, chief judge, senate president and assembly speaker to appoint members to a commission that evaluates judicial pay. Chief Judge Janet DiFiore appointed attorney Michael A. Cardozo (right) and retired Justice Randall Eng (left) to the commission in August. Photo via Proskauer Rose; Eagle file photo by Andy Katz.

By David Brand

The New York State Commission on Legislative, Judicial and Executive Compensation will host two public meetings this month to discuss pay raises for judges and lawmakers. 

The public meeting will take place Nov. 21 at 10 a.m. and Nov. 26 at 3 p.m. at the New York City Bar Association, located 42 West 44th St. 

The commission meets every four years to determine pay rates and consists of seven total members  — three designated by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, two by Chief Judge DiFiore, as well as one each by Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Heastie. 

As of September, only DiFiore had named her commissioners: New York City Corporation Counsel Michael Cardozo, a partner in the firm Proskauer Rose LLP; and Retired Justice Randall Eng to the commission in August. Cardozo will serve as commission chair. 

Both “have extensive knowledge and experience in the judiciary and the public sector,” a spokesperson for the Office of Court Administration told the Eagle.

The other five commissioners include Mitra Hormozi, executive vice president and general Counsel for Revlon; Seymour Lachman, dean emeritus of the Hugh L. Carey Institute for Government Reform at Wagner College; Peter Madonia, chairman of the Belmont Business Improvement District; Jim Malatras, president of SUNY Empire State College; and Bob Megna, senior vice chancellor and chief operating officer of SUNY System Administration.

Judicial salaries depend on the type of judge, and can vary from $240,000 for the Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals to $189,000 for City Court Judges outside of New York City, according to OCA. 

An elected State Supreme Court justice receives an annual salary of $210,900. Administrative Judges receive $218,500 per year.