Mayor Vincent Gray either has a tin political ear or he’s more arrogant than the average politician. Something is wrong. That’s the only conclusion to be drawn from his decision to advance the Executive Service Compensation System Changes and Pay Schedule Approval Amendment Act of 2011. The D.C. Council’s Committee on Government Operations and the Environment, headed by Ward 3 Councilwoman Mary Cheh, held a roundtable last week on the bill, which would increase executive pay for “subordinate” agency directors by as much as $100,000. The legislation also would approve enhanced salaries for the police chief, the head of the fire department, the medical examiner, and school chancellor.
Currently executive salaries are capped at $179,900. Under special circumstances, the council has lifted that ceiling. But Gray has asked for general and permanent pay increases. Unbelievably, he wants them retroactive to Jan. 3.
