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Boonville council debates police pay comparisons as local revenue rules shift
Summary
Police presented a proposed contract and regional salary comparisons; council members discussed whether to compare base salaries or total compensation, raised sustainability concerns tied to expected changes in the local income‑tax split, and asked staff to supply base‑pay comparisons before final budget decisions.
Representatives of the Boonville Police Department presented proposed contract adjustments and salary comparisons at the June 3 council meeting, asking the council to consider raising base pay for officers to align with surrounding jurisdictions.
Benjamin Impri (presenting for the police) said the department used the Indiana Gateway site to compare public safety pay and targeted higher figures for base pay across ranks, noting some local officers have historically earned more when overtime and longevity are included. Council members and department representatives debated whether comparisons should use base salary only or total compensation (which can include overtime and longevity bonuses). "If we look at base salary and sounds to me like maybe you guys have some things," one council member said, urging base‑to‑base comparisons before adjusting the contract.
Council members also raised a fiscal concern: a referenced change in how local income tax (LIT) and the public‑safety portion of LIT will be distributed in coming years. Participants warned Boonville could see a substantial reduction in LIT receipts (figures cited in the meeting described a drop from roughly $6.5 million to about $2.5 million across affected localities), which would affect the city's ability to sustain long‑term salary increases. The council did not adopt a final pay schedule at the meeting; members asked staff to return with refined base‑salary comparisons and to model sustainability under the pending LIT distribution changes.
Council members proposed setting up a small working group (two council members plus staff) to review the salary spreadsheet and return recommended contract language before the budget process. The meeting record shows the council agreed to continue negotiations and gather more precise base‑salary data for 2026 negotiations.
Next steps: Staff will prepare base‑to‑base salary comparisons and present revised numbers to the council ahead of the budget cycle; a council working group was formed to engage with department representatives on contract language and longevity/benefit treatment.
