Here's another way to add revenues to the hard-pressed state treasury: have pro games played in New York by high-priced athletes. To that end, the New York Yankees are likely to help add a few million dollars a year in personal income taxes from the salaries it will be paying to just four of its players.
The Department of Taxation & Finance made some calculations using the average annual salaries of A.J. Burnett ($16.5 million), C.C. Sabathia ($23 million), Derek Jeter ($18.9 million), Alex Rodriquez ($27.5 million) and Mark Teixeira ($22.5 million). The ballplayers -- excepting Jeter, who has battled the tax department over his legal domicile -- appear to be nonresidents. Taxes on nonresident athletes are based on "duty days," which include all days they are with the team from spring training to the postseason.
Assuming 240 duty days in a Baseball year (including October), and that the Yankees play 100 days in New York and the rest in Florida and on the road, about 42 percent of their salary is allocated to New York.
The four big salaries amount to $108.4 million, and multiplying by 0.42 percent yields $45 million in salary that would be taxed in New York. If all of these earnings are subject to tax, it would be at the top rate of 6.85 percent, or about $3 million. If all of the players move to New York, the tax would be a maximum of about $7 million.
The best scenario for the treasury? The Yankees to play the Mets as much as possible.
Senate pay resolved
Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli completed an assignment asked of him by Senate officials scrambling because of the uncertainty of leadership of the chamber.
He issued a letter Dec. 31 to Thomas Dunham, chief of staff to Sen. Dean Skelos, saying that he would authorize pay for Senate staffers under a deal worked out between Skelos and Sen. Malcolm Smith.
Under its terms, both senators were supposed to appoint a Republican, Bruce Fernald, and a Democrat, Mary K. Berger, to fill the vacancy in the post of secretary of the Senate caused by the retirement of Steven M. Boggess. Boggess, like many GOP staffers, filed out of the Capitol before the end of the year to take advantage of the legal window that allows him to lobby the Senate immediately. Boggess joined the Featherstonhaugh firm.
Dennis Tompkins, a spokesman for DiNapoli, said the comptroller will recognize payroll payments requested from Boggess' acting replacements until leadership issues are resolved.
Back to the Senate
After a hiatus of a few years to work as a lobbyist and, more recently, as a $142,800-per-year counsel for the Office of Public Security, Michael Fallon is returning to the Senate Democrats as legislative counsel. The move, coupled with the line of departures of top staffers of the Republicans, suggests an educated bet that Malcolm Smith with rise from minority leader to majority leader.
Austin Shafran, a spokesman for Smith, said he believes the leadership issue will be wrapped up on Wednesday. The Democrats are supposed to conference with Smith privately 6 p.m. Tuesday.
James M. Odato can be reached at 454-5083 or by e-mail at jodato@timesunion.com
