Proposed 2013 raise for Auburn city officials

[Mike_Walter]

At its regular meeting on November 20, the Auburn City Council will consider Ordinance 2012-20, which proposes a 2.5 percent raise for elected officials for the year 2013:

Mayor: $51,917.84, up $1,266.72 from $50,651.12 in 2012;

Clerk-Treasurer: $50,142.56, up $1,223.04 from $48,919.52 in 2012; and

City Council Member: $4,459.00, up $108.68 from $4,350.32 in 2012.

As usual, I plan to vote against the raise, because: 1) I do not think that the pay of elected officials should be raised during their immediate term of office;* and 2) because the public resents raises for elected officials in the current depressed economy.

*In fact, I think raises for elected officials should not take effect unless an election intervenes between the final adoption of the ordinance and the start of a new term.

[evilkumquat]

At its regular meeting on November 20, the Auburn City Council will consider Ordinance 2012-20, which proposes a 2.5 percent raise for elected officials for the year 2013:

Mayor: $51,917.84, up $1,266.72 from $50,651.12 in 2012;

Clerk-Treasurer: $50,142.56, up $1,223.04 from $48,919.52 in 2012; and

City Council Member: $4,459.00, up $108.68 from $4,350.32 in 2012.

As usual, I plan to vote against the raise, because: 1) I do not think that the pay of elected officials should be raised during their immediate term of office;* and 2) because the public resents raises for elected officials in the current depressed economy.

*In fact, I think raises for elected officials should not take effect unless an election intervenes between the final adoption of the ordinance and the start of a new term.

Keep fighting the good fight, Mike!

[Mike_Walter]

Raise passed 5-1 last night. I dissented. Marilyn Gearhart was absent. New member Kevin Webb voted yes. Not a good move in my opinion to make your first act a vote to give yourself a raise.

[No Adventure Is Too Small]

Raise passed 5-1 last night. I dissented. Marilyn Gearhart was absent. New member Kevin Webb voted yes. Not a good move in my opinion to make your first act a vote to give yourself a raise.

It's called GREED, pure and simple GREED!

[Mike_Walter]

No, I don't think it's greed, not entirely, anyway. It's more like "groupthink."

[No Adventure Is Too Small]

No, I don't think it's greed, not entirely, anyway. It's more like "groupthink."

With the number of taxpayers struggling to make ends meet.
It is inexcusable to give pay raises to elected officials!
What happened to the adage of "serving your community" ?
So I ask, are they padding their part time income or do they believe
in the serving your community ethic?
I can't imagine that their expense to serve has risen as much as the pay raise.
Any way that someone justifies the raise, it's still greed at the root of it!