How Much Should Bank CEOs Earn?
Continue Reading Add comment September 23rd, 2008
A movement to include limits on executive pay as a clause in the new bank bailout bill is gaining support from both ends of the political spectrum. House Democrats, including Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank, want limits. So does the liberal Institute for Policy Studies which is calling for a maximum pay for executives at bailed-out firms of 25 times that of the lowest-paid employee. If the lowest paid employee made $30,000 a year, that would mean the most an executive could earn was $750,000.
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Republican Party presidential contender John McCain did that one better yesterday, saying: “The senior executives of any firm that is bailed out by Treasury should not be making more than the highest paid government official.” The president is the highest-paid federal official, earning $400,000 a year, plus $50,000 for personal expenses.
President Bush hopes to provide up to $700 billion to buy troubled mortgage assets from banks. The proposal is being hotly debated in Washington this week. I haven’t seen any estimates yet as to how many institutions might take advantage of the government’s offer. If such a provision were included it would likely apply to other institutions that have recently sought government aid, including IndyMac and AIG.
Regulators already blocked $24 million in severance payments to former Fannie Mae CEO Daniel Mudd and former Freddie Mac CEO Richard Syron.