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Hochul defends Cuomo administration salaries for women

Karen DeWitt
/
WRVO News File Photo

The state’s highest ranking female elected official, Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul, is defending the Cuomo’s administration in the wake of a report that shows women employed by the executive chamber make just 73 percent of what men there earn.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has called himself a feminist and complained about sexism in society, yet a report by Politico New York finds that women are underrepresented in the upper layers of his administration, and overall, make less money than the men.

“It is what it is,” said Hochul, who said the governor “has done a lot of work” to reach out to try to get more women to join his team.

“Women are given a strong voice in his administration,” Hochul said.  

Hochul says Cuomo has asked her to recruit more women to his administration, and she’s trying to encourage women early on in their careers to choose government service by running for local office.

Karen DeWitt is Capitol Bureau Chief for New York State Public Radio, a network of 10 public radio stations in New York State. She has covered state government and politics for the network since 1990.