City leader raises: About time or out of line?
NORWICH – The tentative City of Norwich Budget for 2008 proposed a 4.97 tax increase, and while that number doesn’t seem too hard to swallow, some people are having more difficulty with potential salary increases for the mayor and Common Council, which will not be determined until long after the budget is passed.
On Tuesday night, the City of Norwich Common Council discussed the tentative budget for 2008. First Ward Alderman Anthony Abraham questioned several lines on the budget, including those for the Common Council and mayor’s salary. The budget showed the cumulative council salary increasing by more than 50 percent, and the salary for the mayor increasing by over 70 percent.
In a later discussion, Mayor Joseph Maiurano explained that the salary changes may not be as drastic as they seem.
“First of all, there has been no raise for the aldermen or the mayor in 17 years,” Maiurano said. “That should be looked at.” Maiurano explained that although the funds had been listed in the budget, that did not mean that the raises were imminent. He explained that it would most likely be several months before any action was taken, and at that time, it would be determined after going through the finance and personnel committee as well as the Common Council. A public hearing would also have to be held.
The mayor said that if the raises were to be passed by the council, the health insurance benefits for the council members and the mayor would be cut to make up the difference. Few council members currently utilize the benefits.
“We have to talk about whether it is better to have higher pay or full benefits,” Maiurano said. He explained that the benefits cost the city $6,000 to $8,000 for each city council member who utilizes them, and if each member of the council decided to utilize their benefits, it could cost the city $36,000 or more.
Currently, each city alderman makes approximately $4,000 a year. The mayor makes $16,273. The salary increase would provide an extra $2,000 to each council member and an additional $1,000 to the president of the council. It would also bump the mayor’s salary up to $28,878. All are considered part-time jobs.
During Tuesday’s meeting, the Common Council made a motion to move the funds from the salary lines and place them in contingency until the council can decide what they would like to do.
“The funds are in contingency. If they are not spent, they will be put into the fund balance,” Maiurano said.
Abraham spoke out against the increase at Tuesday’s meeting. The alderman, who will be leaving office in January, said, “This is unacceptable, because what we are doing is putting out more money than we are taking in. If we continue this trend, we’re going to go bankrupt.”
Maiurano pointed out that no decisions have been made at this point. “There’s nothing written in stone. We’re just looking to see if we can save some money and still have raises in there.” He explained that the decision would not be made for months, and that the issue would be discussed by the finance committee, the Common Council and at a public hearing before a law would have to be passed.
On Tuesday night, the City of Norwich Common Council discussed the tentative budget for 2008. First Ward Alderman Anthony Abraham questioned several lines on the budget, including those for the Common Council and mayor’s salary. The budget showed the cumulative council salary increasing by more than 50 percent, and the salary for the mayor increasing by over 70 percent.
In a later discussion, Mayor Joseph Maiurano explained that the salary changes may not be as drastic as they seem.
“First of all, there has been no raise for the aldermen or the mayor in 17 years,” Maiurano said. “That should be looked at.” Maiurano explained that although the funds had been listed in the budget, that did not mean that the raises were imminent. He explained that it would most likely be several months before any action was taken, and at that time, it would be determined after going through the finance and personnel committee as well as the Common Council. A public hearing would also have to be held.
The mayor said that if the raises were to be passed by the council, the health insurance benefits for the council members and the mayor would be cut to make up the difference. Few council members currently utilize the benefits.
“We have to talk about whether it is better to have higher pay or full benefits,” Maiurano said. He explained that the benefits cost the city $6,000 to $8,000 for each city council member who utilizes them, and if each member of the council decided to utilize their benefits, it could cost the city $36,000 or more.
Currently, each city alderman makes approximately $4,000 a year. The mayor makes $16,273. The salary increase would provide an extra $2,000 to each council member and an additional $1,000 to the president of the council. It would also bump the mayor’s salary up to $28,878. All are considered part-time jobs.
During Tuesday’s meeting, the Common Council made a motion to move the funds from the salary lines and place them in contingency until the council can decide what they would like to do.
“The funds are in contingency. If they are not spent, they will be put into the fund balance,” Maiurano said.
Abraham spoke out against the increase at Tuesday’s meeting. The alderman, who will be leaving office in January, said, “This is unacceptable, because what we are doing is putting out more money than we are taking in. If we continue this trend, we’re going to go bankrupt.”
Maiurano pointed out that no decisions have been made at this point. “There’s nothing written in stone. We’re just looking to see if we can save some money and still have raises in there.” He explained that the decision would not be made for months, and that the issue would be discussed by the finance committee, the Common Council and at a public hearing before a law would have to be passed.
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