Ken Lovett is reporting for the Daily News New York increases state legislator pay using stipends more than other states. The commission currently considering a pay raise for lawmakers may also look into whether reforms are needed in how stipends are awarded to individual legislators. The base salary of New York lawmakers is $79,500, the third highest among state legislatures in the nation, behind California and Pennsylvania. However, in New York, the majority of state lawmakers also receive stipends for chairing committees, serving as minority ranking committee members, or holding leadership positions. Those stipends can range from $9,000 to the $41,500, a year given to legislative leaders. According to the state pay raise commission, 160 of 213 New York state legislators receive some kind of stipend that boosts their pay. Critics have long argued the stipends are used by legislative leaders to buy loyalty from their members. Read the full story in the Daily News.