ALBANY — A day after Gov. Paterson revoked hefty salary increases for several key aides, he has reneged on his pledge to take a voluntary pay cut.
Paterson spokesman Morgan Hook said yesterday that the governor would not return 10 percent of his salary — or $17,900 — to the state treasury, as he did last year in a “symbolic” gesture of solidarity with budget-squeezed public-employee unions.
“He has no intention of giving back 10 percent of his salary this year,” Hook said.
“Gov. Paterson has already given back more of his salary than any public-employee union member.”
Paterson announced his voluntary giveback in March 2009 when he was still planning to run for a full term as governor.
The decision comes as the state work force fumes over Paterson’s efforts to freeze wages and put some 100,000 state workers on unpaid furlough.
Union criticism led the governor to withdraw double-digit pay hikes for an Executive Chamber secretary and four press aides. Paterson does plan to take the same eight furlough days as the workers.