The biggest story of the week was large pay raises for the state's top officials. Jon Campbell reports in the Democrat and Chronicle that New York lawmakers have not gotten a raise in 20 years, but now are in line to be among the best paid in the country. The state Compensation Committee, a panel of current and former comptrollers, recommended Dec. 6 that New York's 213 lawmakers get a 64 percent raise, from $79,500 now to $130,000 in 2021. The raises for legislators take effect Jan. 1 unless lawmakers, who aren't scheduled in Albany any time soon, pass legislation to stop the increases. Gov. Andrew Cuomo's $179,000 salary would increase to $250,000 in 2021 if lawmakers approve that plan in January. Bill Mahoney reports for Politico that State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said Dec. 12 that the ban on outside income for legislators from a pay-raise committee, “may have put this entire pay raise … in jeopardy.” Heastie, a Democrat, echoed Republican criticisms of the other regulations tacked on to the pay raise for top state officials. “The legislative intent, which was agreed upon between myself, the governor and the majority leader, Sen. [John] Flanagan, was that they were only supposed to look at the salaries,” Heastie said. “It’s not even a debate on the issues. I get where people are on the concerns on outside income and things like that, but it was never the Legislature’s intention for them to do that. They pretty much decided among themselves to deal with the operations of the house.” Heastie wouldn't say whether legislators would change the decision before Dec. 31, or pass new legislation in the next session. David Lombardo is reporting for Capitol Confidential the constitutionality of the special committee responsible for awarding state legislators a salary increase is being challenged in court. A complaint was filed in state Supreme Court in Albany County December 14, by the Government Justice Center, a conservative, non-profit law center. In that filing the center argues the process was flawed from the beginning because state legislators did not have the authority to delegate control of their salaries. “Rather than face the voters after implementing their own compensation decision, members of the Legislature pushed their responsibility on to a committee,” reads the complaint. “Such a major policy decision should have been made by members of the Senate and Assembly in legislation as required by the [state] constitution.”

Another big story came out of Rensselaerville in southern Albany County. H. Rose Schneider reports in The Altamont Enterprise that after a routine audit showed missing funds in Rensselaerville's town coffers, police were notified, and Steven Pfleging resigned as supervisor. Trooper Kerra M. Burns, the public information officer for Troop G of the state police, confirmed Dec. 13 that police are investigating possible fraud involving Pfleging in the southern Albany County town.

There were several local elections this week. The Albany Times Union reported voters in the Ichabod Crane school district narrowly approved a $27.1 million capital project, Dec. 12. The resolution passed on a vote of 983 to 931. “I would like to thank everyone who came out and supported this important project,” said Superintendent of Schools Michael Vanyo. In the Cairo-Durham school district, a capital project also passed by a narrow margin. Voters in the Cairo-Durham Central School District approved a $28.9 million building project by a vote of 284 to 263 on Dec. 11. "We are grateful for the community's support in today's vote," said Superintendent Anthony Taibi. There was also a Cairo Fire District election Dec. 11, with Brian Feml defeating John Buckley 193 to 97 for Fire Commissioner.