Posted on: Friday, April 26, 2002
Panel OKs pay raises for top city officials
By Robbie Dingeman
Advertiser City Hall Writer
Top city officials will get raises under a proposal that won final approval from the city Salary Commission yesterday afternoon.
Under the plan, the police and fire chiefs and their deputies will get a 5 percent increase, while the mayor, City Council members and other appointed officials will see a 3 percent boost in pay.
Under the schedule of pay raises, salaries on July 1 will go up to:
• $115,360 for the mayor.
The recommendation is now sent to the mayor and to the City Council, and will take effect automatically unless the council schedules a special vote and seven or more members vote to reject it.
Council Chairman John DeSoto said he hasn't talked about the proposal with his colleagues. "We've really never discussed it. We've been focusing on the mayor's budget."
Commission chairman David Wilson said commission members believe that the raises are appropriate.
"We're confident that we've made the right decision," Wilson said. "We know that times have been hard but we know times are getting better."
Mayor Jeremy Harris has said he doesn't believe that the city can afford a raise but he accepted the last raise he received.
• $110,313 for the managing director.
• $104,958 for the police and fire chiefs.
• $99,807 for directors of city departments.
• $49,904 for the City Council chairman.
• $44,651 for other City Council members.
