Politics & Government

Council Denies Pay Raise for Mayor's Office

Aldermen have no stomach for salary increase for an elected official while others' pay is frozen.

After two attempts to put off a vote until a later date failed, the Wauwatosa Common Council voted Tuesday 7-6 against giving the next mayor a raise.

The recommendation to the council was for a $7,500 a year raise from the $22,500 annual salary for the office that has stood still since 1984. But the prevailing sentiment among aldermen was the same as it has been in previous debates: Yes, the mayor deserves a raise, but now is not the time.

Tuesday night's debate began with an explanation of the recommended raise from Ald. Peter Donegan, the chairman of the Employee Relations Committee that proposed it.

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"Either we pay an amount that is more commensurate with the job and duties β€” and we're not willing to do that β€” or we can ask our mayor to donate more of his or her time, or we can reduce the role of the mayor," Donegan said. "I can't in conscience say yes to the first two, so I'm left with 'Reduce your expectations.'

"Economically, $7,500 next year is such a small amount it's not really worth talking about, so I would ask that the council accept the recommendation and move on."

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But Ald. Jacqueline Jay felt that the decision was being taken on "short notice" and moved that it be held over until the next council meeting in two weeks to get "more of a sense of what the city population feels."

During a brief debate of that motion, several aldermen made it clear that they felt there had already been plenty of debate, while just as many more felt that the issue should be held much longer β€” until the budget process is under way in September.

Jay's motion failed, leading to another motion to hold the item until September and sort out in the budget process just where the money would come from to pay for a raise for the mayor.

It was Mayor Jill Didier herself, presiding, who made the strongest statement against delay.

"Determining where the money comes from, that's part of the budget process," she said. "You won't find an answer here.

"I think you just need to make a decision here and be done with it."

Despite several pleas for more time, the motion to hold until September failed as well. That left the council to vote on motion on the floor, a $7,500 salary bump for the next mayor.

With three members absent, the vote was as close as it could be, 7-6 against.

Before the vote, though, Mayor Didier repeated what she had : "I did not ask for a raise," she said. "But I will say, this position in our community is a full-time position.

"The expectations of the community are that people want, expect, demand, need a response from the mayor. The salary may reflect a part-time job, but it is not a part-time job."


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