Council backs drafting charter amendment to make future pay changes effective immediately

Pueblo City Council on Monday directed legal staff to draft charter amendment language that would make future council salary increases effective immediately after a change is enacted rather than waiting until individual members’ reelection.

Councilor Regina Maestri proposed the change, arguing that if the council votes to raise council pay, the increase should not be delayed for current members whose elections are not imminent. City Attorney Bob Gifford said the requested change would be a charter amendment because the charter currently provides that pay changes do not take effect during the current term; the change would instead strike the limiting clause.

Supporters, including Councilor Maestri and Councilor Dennis Flores, said immediate effect would be fairer to longtime council members and could help recruit younger candidates. Opponents raised conflict-of-interest concerns and the optics of council voting to increase its own pay; Councilor Boston said he believed many constituents would oppose such a policy. Councilor Sarah Martinez raised the question of recusal and conflicts but Gifford said a charter amendment would be a voter-authorized waiver rather than a council action to increase pay for themselves.

Council members signaled support for preparing ballot language; the clerk recorded what staff described as a direction to proceed with drafting. City staff said any charter amendment to change the effective date of pay increases would require voter approval and must meet ballot deadlines in late summer.

No pay increase was adopted Monday; the council only authorized legal staff to draft ballot language for a possible future charter amendment.