Vanderhoef Cuts His Own Pay

From the County Executive’s Office:

On the heels of the Rockland County Legislature’s votes on Tuesday to support his proposed contingency budget, County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef announced Thursday that further financial sacrifices are still needed, and that as the leader of the county’s workforce he will be voluntarily reducing his annual salary by 5 percent.

“This will not heal our budgetary wounds, but I want to lead by example. This gesture will hopefully encourage others to take similar steps to help the County deal with our serious financial woes,” said Vanderhoef. “The credit agencies are watching us. Moody’s Investors Service recently downgraded the County and I am eager to do my part to show Moody’s that we are ready and willing to make difficult financial decisions.”

Vanderhoef’s pay will be cut more than $7,700 from his current annual 2012 salary of $155,087.

Vanderhoef’s spokesman Ron Levine said, “The County Executive’s cut was voluntary with the hope that it might serve as a catalyst to similar actions from ‘others.'”