The mayor and other top elected officials in Baltimore could receive a nice raise this year, thanks to recommendations by the city?s Elected Official Compensation Commission.
The only catch: They have to get re-elected ? due to a December 2007 effective date.
The next mayor would make $23,000 more than his or her current salary, from $125,000 to $148,000 per year. The City Council president would receive an $18,000 raise from $80,000 to $96,000 per year.
City Council member salaries would increase an extra $9,000, from $48,000 to $57,000.
The newly formed commission submitted its recommendations for raises for elected officials to the council for approval. All raises would take effect in December; the dates vary.
Council Vice President Robert Curran said it?s been awhile since the council?s compensation was increased.
“The last time the city council got a raise was 1999,” he said. “A lot of my colleagues put their heart and soul into the job, so perhaps a raise is merited.”
“The mayor has no intention of lobbying for a pay increase,” mayoral spokesman Anthony McCarthy said. “We will wait to see what action the council will take.”
An amendment to the city charter in November 2006 established the compensation committee . The commission, comprised of mayoral appointees, is tasked with reviewing compensation of all elected officials. The recommendations have been submitted to the City Council for vote, but the council doesn?t have to act for the raises to take effect.
“If the council does nothing, it still happens,” Curran said.
The bill has a provision for a 2.5 percent increase in 2008 for all elected officials, but the raise will not take effect unless police officers, firefighters, or other city employees receive a similar increase in pay.
