St. Louis Park council approves modest pay increase for council members

The St. Louis Park City Council voted to approve a modest increase in council member pay during its regular meeting. A motion to approve the change was made and seconded and the measure passed with five votes in favor and one opposed.

Council members who supported the change said the increase — which councilors described as moving council pay to roughly the equivalent of about $18 an hour without benefits — was intended to broaden the pool of candidates able to serve. "We haven't raised council salaries since the 2000s," a supporter said, adding that the increase is aimed at making the roles more accessible.

Council Member Budd said she would vote against the change, citing current budget pressures and potential impacts on residential taxpayers. "We're facing our commercial property values decreasing significantly... we need to tighten our own belts and decline this," Budd said on the record.

Other council members argued the raise was modest relative to the city budget and would help recruit a wider range of candidates for elected seats. "If we want to have more people and more voices here at this table... we have to make sure that we're treating this job as serious as the job requires," Council Member Dumanlag said.

A roll call at the start of the meeting showed six council members present. The final tally for the salary amendment was five yes, one no. The council did not state an effective date in the meeting record. The item was recorded as passed by the council, and the meeting proceeded to other business.

The council's discussion followed an earlier decision to pull the item from the consent agenda for separate consideration so members could debate timing and public optics.