Site Reveals Salaries of New York State Employees, Other State Financial Data

After review of some of the highest paid state employees there should be an across the board cut with graduating percentages for those making more than 100k. In my opinion there are state staff on the payroll that clearly don't warrant the high cost to the state. It seems to me that the Department of Health is extremely top heavy. I think the option has to be put on the table.

SeeThrough is going far beyond the letter and the spirit of the Freedom of Information Act.The Act specifies: 1) the process of governmental decision making, and 2) statistics leading to determinations. When my agency's policy makers (commissioners and directors) are deciding policies for my agency, they aren't the least bit interested in my particular salary by name. When it comes to financial data, all they care about is the aggregate: do they have enough money in this year's budget to accomplish their mission. Ask any Human Resources Mangagement staff in any government agency anywhere, whether they are allowed to give out everyone's personal salaries to any anonymous person who phones in.

The agenda behind this and other privacy-invasive laws is to accustom the populace to less and less confidentiality for their private affairs. This movement has a ratchet effect - think about it: have there been any laws passed in the past decade or so that allow citizens greater privacy in their personal affairs? On the contrary, it has become progressively more difficult to maintain a sphere of privacy. It's public employees' privacy that is at risk now, but private-sector people will not always be safe from such intrusions.

My state wouldn't publish rank and file employees' salaries, because they're so low the employees would be embarrassed, and it might stir an open discussion ending in more equitable wages. Incidently, regarding a comment about making others such as the feds, the military .... Actually, military salaries, rank/years service, etc. are all public record and have been from the beginning.

And now there's a hiring freeze! Any state position vacated cannot be filled by a state worker - saving the salary must really help the budget! That position gets filled by a political appointee who earns TWICE what the state worker would have received. Is anyone publishing how many political appointees have recently been added? And how much they are being paid? It's not only mindboggling, but budget-busting!! Go Paterson!

That's an interesting take on privacy issues. Since my tax money also pays for food stamps, welfare, etc., I think the names and amounts of everyone receiving any kind of government assistance should be published as well. I want to know who I am supporting. I also want to know how they spend their money since, it's actually my money and I have a right to know, so let's publish exactly what they spend the money on as well.

While I do not agree with the action in practice (because I do work for the State), I agree in principle. I also feel that if the sponsoring parties were truly motivated by the public's right to know, they would also publish the salaries of every employee of every company who benefits directly from a government subsidy, tax break, grant, procurement, etc... as these companies are using public funds to profit and grow.

I am a NYS employee [originally from private industry] who makes about 15K less than market [based on my knowledge and experience]. It is unfortunate that SeeThroughNY.net visitors will not have that information.

Let's take this HIGHER, and grab the US Government civilian employees also. THEN, the military. THEN...... I mean, might as well blast EVERYBODY'S salary out there. I know I earn my paycheck since I have no "slacker clause" built iinto my job responsibilities.

I can't believe that our salaries have to be public knowledge by our names. It is not necessary for everyone I know to be privy to my paycheck. I agree by title or grade but not by name. We are private people just like anyone else. With our names out there and where we work we have the ability of being a target for a number of scams. Thank you State of New York for again giving us just the kick we need to want to keep coming to work everyday. I also agree we should know exactly who everyone receiving any state or county aid is. What ever happen to the privacy of information act.

Som Karamchetty, PHD - Who are your consumers of your products and services? I'd like to know so, I too can be a consumer of your product and services so I can "feel" entitled to know how much you make and how well your supervisor thinks you perform. Yes, people have a right to know the aggregate of government spending, or an actual salary paid for a given title, related to a service function so that they be able to be able decide whether or not a given government service is worth the expenditure but names to a salary. No benefit can be derived from that knowledge as it relates to those who "are affected by the processes" performed by the government. BTW I can't wait for the problems facing me because my name is there -- like credit fraud and stolen identity (with a name, employer name and a salary - one has only to look up an address in the phone book to apply for a loan in that name) or issues related to the erroneous reporting of an hourly rate credited to my name just for starter. So Som Karamchetty, PHD, if you please, as your consumer, can I have your salary and your performance appraisals? I might be in need of loan to get me of my stolen identity woes...

That's an interesting take on privacy issues. Since my tax money also pays for food stamps, welfare, etc., I think the names and amounts of everyone receiving any kind of government assistance should be published as well. I want to know who I am supporting. I also want to know how they spend their money since, it's actually my money and I have a right to know, so let's publish exactly what they spend the money on as well.

"Government employees' performance standards, performance appraisals, and their respective supervisor's names should also be available to citizens because the latter are paying with their taxes; are the consumers of their products and services; and are affected by the processes." Are these types of employee information available to shareholders of publicly-held corporations for the employees of those corporations? somehow, I doubt it. You seek to eliminate for public-sector employees a measure of privacy that private-sector workers take for granted -- and, in so doing, create one more disincentive for public service. Congratulations.

This is perhaps a good first step. Government employees' performance standards, performance appraisals, and their respective supervisor's names should also be available to citizens because the latter are paying with their taxes; are the consumers of their products and services; and are affected by the processes.