QUESTION
What was the compensation increase for poll site workers during the De Blasio administration, and how can it further improve?
3:44:37
·
4 min
The chapter addresses the increase in compensation for poll site workers during the De Blasio administration and explores further improvements. Council Member Lincoln Restler highlights the significance of adequately compensating poll site workers, noting that Speaker Hasty was a strong proponent of prior increases, and points to potential benefits such as higher recruitment, retention rates, and a more reliable workforce. Michael J. Ryan confirms past compensation increases and suggests exploring tax exemptions to effectively raise poll worker pay without increasing nominal wages.
- The De Blasio administration increased poll worker compensation, a move supported by Speaker Hasty.
- Higher compensation is associated with improved recruitment, retention rates, and workforce reliability.
- Michael J. Ryan suggests poll workers could be treated as employees, leading to tax deductions and administrative costs.
- A potential solution is making poll workers exempt from federal taxes, thus increasing their effective compensation without raising nominal wages.
Lincoln Restler
3:44:37
My recollection is that During the De Blasio administration, there was an increase in poll site worker compensation to try and improve the recruitment and and retention of poll workers.
3:44:46
And I believe speaker Hasty was a strong proponent of that.
3:44:50
We would love to talk and explore that together.
3:44:53
It could be cross neutral or even save the city money and deliver a better come I think if folks were compensated more generously, we'd have a higher rate of people showing up.
3:45:04
And more reliable workforce.
3:45:06
And so I if that's something that's of interest, we'd love to explore it together.
Michael J.Ryan
3:45:09
So on those two things, yes, We'll always take yes for an answer, additional assistance.
3:45:16
It is and and ideas are always a good thing.
3:45:20
We're not of the opinion at the board that we have cornered the market on good ideas.
3:45:24
And sometimes, I I like can I know it's a little bit obscure, but I like in management to looking at a Monet?
3:45:32
Sometimes the closer you get to it, the less you appreciate the image, and the more removed from you get, the the the more you appreciate the image.
3:45:39
With respect to the compensation, the De Blasio administration gave the first raised to poll workers, which exceeds the statutory mandate of the the York State election law.
3:45:54
I think it was 2001 when when Maya Giuliani gave
Dawn M. Pinnock
3:45:58
the raise.
Michael J.Ryan
3:45:59
And then Maya De Blasio gave a raise.
3:46:04
2002.
3:46:05
Right?
3:46:05
So, you know, thank you, madam, historian.
3:46:10
So It it was a long time before there was a race, and then May the Blasio gave a raise.
3:46:16
At the time that he gave the raise, we were asking to go from 200 to 300 for poll workers and from 300 to 400 for coordinators.
3:46:29
We got half a loaf.
3:46:30
We got we went from 200 to 250 and from 300 to 350, which we took as, you know, better than Nothing.
3:46:40
But certainly several years ago, I figured exactly what year it was, but about 4 or 5 years ago, we were asking for it to be 300, 400, and the cost of living has only gone up since then.
Lincoln Restler
3:46:51
Look, pulsate workers perform a an essential public service.
3:46:56
The while, you know, voting is, I believe, 15 hours, it's a 17, 18, 19 hour day because you have to get there before the poolside opens and you're there sometimes for 1 to re 1 or 2 hours after the poolside closed doing your tally.
3:47:14
So we we really, you know, value the work that the campsite workers do to make our elections work.
3:47:20
And 1, I'm certainly interested in in furthering, you know, continuing this conversation with you.
Michael J.Ryan
3:47:25
I too.
3:47:25
And if I could just make one more suggestion where there might be a way to air quote raise the poll worker compensation without raising the poll worker compensation.
3:47:35
There's an IRS regulation that acquires the board of elections, and there was a previous counsel to this committee that I don't wanna say he didn't believe what I was telling him, but he went and did his own research and confirmed that I was, in fact, saying the right thing that there's an IRS regulation that requires the boards of elections throughout the country to treat poll workers as employees.
3:47:57
So we used to be able to treat them as, you know, as a day worker and give them, you know, what is it?
3:48:06
It's 1099.
Lincoln Restler
3:48:07
Right.
Michael J.Ryan
3:48:07
I think it is.
3:48:07
Right?
3:48:08
Mhmm.
3:48:08
And then we had to treat them like employees.
3:48:10
And so we have to deduct federal tax we have to deduct state taxes, and we have to deduct city taxes, and also process each coworker into you know, the administrative cost of us treating them like an on and off worker, you know, throughout the year.
3:48:25
There has been some talk nationally about passing something in congress that would make poll workers exempt from federal taxes.
3:48:36
I think from where I said at least that that should catch on across the board city and state to really take a look at whether or not coworker pay could be deemed as a form of public service and exempt from taxation.
3:48:53
And then that might so also solve a problem for us.
3:48:56
With respect to individuals that receive other forms of compensation that might have income limits that might be causing them to stay away from from serving as poll workers because they're afraid it'll it'll push them over, but
Lincoln Restler
3:49:11
they give a threshold.
3:49:12
But we would we'll certainly consult with our federal counterparts on this as well.