If Offered, I Won’t Take The Money I Didn’t Ask For

Councilmember Tony Avella won’t take the pay raise the Council voted itself. Something about “principle”:

After denouncing a recent pay hike for his colleagues, Queens Councilman Tony Avella said yesterday he won’t accept the $22,500 raise to his current $90,000 salary.

“For me this was a matter of principle, and I believe in putting my money where I put my mouth,” he said.

But he admits, “My wife isn’t too happy.

Previously, the maverick Democrat had said he was considering accepting the raise but donating the money to charity. Had he done that, he could have boosted his tax deduction for charitable contributions and also hiked the eventual value of his pension, which is pegged on gross earnings.

I don’t get it — what’s the point of grandstanding then?