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HRE Officials Get 'Astounding' Raises

On the HRE salary increase for Zeckhauser, Rosen said that last year's hike "appears to be abnormally high because it includes bonuses" that we paid in the current calendar year and reported in the 1981 fiscal year.

He added that the move than two-fold increase for Zeckhauser over a three-year period is a "faulty comparison" because her 1979 salary represented only four or five months of work on the HRE payroll.

Silverman's salary hike last year stemmed from a change in scope in his job and an increase in responsibilities for property management, Rosen said.

Assistant to the Treasurer Herman M. Anderson, who earned $8010 in 1979, received $43.431 last year. But Rosen said that Anderson's 1981 salary actually reflects a year-and-a-half of work for HRE.

Anderson officially retired last year but was paid an extra half year salary at that time for informal services he is now providing to HRE, Rosen said.

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HRE paid total salaries and wages in 1981 of $581.000, an increase of more than $100.000 from the 1980 total of $475.000 as according to a statement--prepared by HRE accountants--which accompanies the public charities tax forms.

The tax disclosures were received by state officials on January 18.

Emfin was incorporated in Delaware in December 1977. According to documents on file last April in the Massachusetts Secretary of State's office, Edward M. Strasser is the president, treasurer, and entire board of directors of Emfin. His wife Francine is listed as the secretary.

Edward Strasser was unavailable for comment yesterday, and he declined to return repeated phone calls made to his Cambridge home last week.

Francine Strasser said yesterday that she does not know what kind of services Emfin provided to HRE last year.

In April, Strasser said he provided "general consulting services," to HRE during the 1980 fiscal year.

Zeckhauser said last April that among other duties Strasser had advised on the installation of thermopane, energy-saving windows at a Trowbridge St. building.

HRE's current installation of thermopane windows at 9-13a Ware St. has spurred tenants to protest the move and consider filing legal action against HRE.

The Ware St. tenants charges that the new more expensive windows will unfairly escalate the level of their rents.

Strasser said last April that he did not consider his HRE consulting services a conflict of interest. He added that "lots of people" organize corporations like Emfin for "tax purposes," a statement that area tax specialists said was accurate.

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