RIOC Payroll: Haynes Now Tops Hochul and Every Other Governor

A RIOC payroll chart, obtained through FOIL, reveals a mind-boggling reality. President/CEO Shelton J. Haynes pulls down a $226,960.01 annual salary, topping Governor Kathy Hochul’s $225,000. This is not a joke because it isn’t funny. And if you live or work on Roosevelt Island, you’re paying for it.

by David Stone

The Roosevelt Island Daily News

RIOC resisted disclosing the information.

“I requested the ‘list of all current employees’ salaries’ by written request made on May 31, 2022,” wrote Roosevelt Islander Anthony Brown.

“Almost FIVE MONTHS(!) have passed since the receipt of the request without having received the materials which should be readily available and published on your website.”

At that point, Brown says he considered his FOIL request, “…denied, and I am appealing on that basis.”

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But Brown, not confident that anything would sink in with RIOC without outside pressure, sent copies of the appeal to more than a dozen others, including elected officials and RIOC’s board.

Finally, he got the full roster and their salaries, but the state agency that always gets it right pulled a little stunt. They sent a roster dated May 31st, 2022, not the most current one.

An employee roster with salaries takes five minutes to obtain since it’s all in RIOC’s Human Relations program, according to an informant.

Push a button and Presto! Flippo! Here’s your document!

So, why dredge something up that’s older than your average deli candy bar?

The RIOC Payroll, Circa May 31st, 2022

While it’s safe assuming that it’s gotten worse – that’s the general RIOC direction under Dear Leader Haynes – it’s bad in multiple ways. Starting with Haynes.

HAYNES SHELTON PRESIDENT/CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFIC 226,960.01

Yes, his title is so long, the program chopped off his “e.”

Governor Hochul gets $225,000 for shepherding (poorly) 20.2 million people. Haynes must wrestle 11.7 thousand. Imagine how California Governor Gavin Newsom must feel. He’s got 39.37 million people and makes less than both New York wunderkinder.

The New York State budget Hochul oversees is $220.8 billion. $32 million is what Haynes boldly stares down, nearly $3 million a month.

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The RIOC payroll list includes 24 folks earning six-figure salaries. On this dinky little Island. You may love Roosevelt Island. I do. But only a mental contortionist imagines any operations requiring two dozen highly paid executives and managers.

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We’re barely a scratch on a New York City map, less than a squiggle for the rest of the state. Without FDR Four Freedoms Park or the cherry blossoms, we’d be invisible.

So, where does Shelton J. Haynes get the authority or the gall to make us pay him $226K every year? And for piss poor performance at that.

New York State doesn’t pay him or his team of backscratchers and untalented suckups. We do. But paradoxically, the state, out of the Governor’s Executive Chamber, makes all the decisions.

And they make sure he’s paid well for bunkering in Blackwell House and helping assure a specific demographic in voting.