ALBANY — Gov. Paterson’s wife, Michelle, got a 40 percent raise last year in her job at a health-insurance company in New York City, according to tax returns made public yesterday.
She earned $43,786 more in 2009 at EmblemHealth Systems than she did in 2008, when she earned $108,245.
EmblemHealth spokeswoman Illene Margolin said the first lady moved into a tougher job in early 2008 but didn’t get a raise until later that year. The rest of the 2009 hike was a bonus for her performance.
At the time, amid a state fiscal crisis, Gov. Paterson had stopped raises for his executive-chamber workers, and this year he asked public employees to delay their 4 percent raises.
He earned $175,982 from his job last year and gave back $18,000 pursuant to his pledge to return 10 percent of his income to the state.
“I will symbolically make the gesture for the state. I will take that sacrifice,” he said at the time.
The Patersons also earned $16,000 in rent from their suburban Albany home.
The Patersons, who were widely criticized in 2008 for contributing just $150 to charity on a combined income of $270,000, gave $4,640 to charity last year.
Meanwhile, Attorney General Andrew Cuomo earned $144,000 in 2009. In 2008, he reported $398,000.