The north country's entire legislative delegation has said they wouldn't support a pay increase for state legislators, who make $79,000 a year plus lulus.

And it's obvious to see why: Eighty percent, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll, oppose the idea.

That's despite a pronounced uptick in approval ratings of the state Legislature. In September 2010 — when state Sen. Patty Ritchie was swept into office in a wave of displeasure over the Senate Democrats' handling of the state's business — only 15 percent of New Yorkers approved of the job that the Legislature was doing. It's now 30 percent.

Which is still not good enough to merit a pay increase. If my bosses gave me a 30 percent approval rating, I wouldn't get a raise, either. The numbers probably won't break 50 percent after the elections, when the Legislature is expected to give itself a pay increase anyway.

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