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Committee debates splitting alderman pay increases after 27% proposal failed at council
Summary
After a proposed 27% single-year pay increase failed at city council, the finance committee discussed alternate compensation packages — including spreading higher totals across two years — and recommended further work, possible use of an independent committee, and bringing revised numbers back to the Committee of the Whole.
The Finance Committee spent the latter portion of its Oct. 10 meeting discussing proposed changes to alderman compensation after a 27% single‑year proposal failed at city council.
Chair Alderman Franco opened the item (24-0606) and said the committee’s task was to identify compensation numbers for a two‑year period (July 2027 through May 31, 2029) that might gain broader support. Members repeatedly flagged optics and public perception as central considerations and discussed several alternative approaches, including splitting larger increases across two years; one example discussed was two sequential 12% increases rather than a single large bump.
Patrick Collins of the city law department clarified procedural questions about holding motions and amendments, saying a held motion returns to the agenda and that council procedure governs subsequent amendments. Collins said the earlier amendment had failed and that the original motion was simply held, so the committee needed to revisit the matter.
Members debated whether benefits or allowances should be counted as part of compensation and whether an independent committee or consultant (the chamber or an outside compensation committee was mentioned) should produce recommendations. Several speakers said an incremental approach would likely be more palatable to the public and could help secure the votes needed at council; one member summarized the preference for a two‑year, incremental path as likely to ease passage.
No formal amendment or vote on revised compensation levels occurred in the committee; members agreed to continue work, develop alternative numeric proposals and bring them forward for consideration at a future Committee of the Whole or council meeting.
The meeting adjourned at 04:41.
