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Council Member Zach Sapone urges higher pay; Salary Review Commission votes to craft compensation framework
Summary
Council Member Zach Sapone told the Spokane Salary Review Commission that current pay and workload narrow the candidate pool and leave members using personal funds; the commission voted to develop a compensation recommendation using benchmarking and a CPI-based cost-of-living adjustment for 2028.
Council Member Zach Sapone told the Spokane Salary Review Commission on record that the scope and hours of council work mean the office is often viable only for people with other income or substantial financial support, and urged commissioners to set salaries that attract a broader range of candidates.
Sapone, introduced for an interview by the commission, referenced the Spokane Municipal Code as the commission’s guiding authority and described extensive duties beyond evening meetings, regional and state board commitments and frequent constituent contacts. "I’m losing about $120,000 that I’m foregoing to do that," he said, describing lost earnings over an eight-year span. He also said the city allocates a $5,000 travel and professional-development budget per council member and that some members supplement that with personal funds.
The commission’s discussion turned to how to set pay. Commissioners debated benchmarking approaches and whether to use median household income, comparable professional jobs, or county-office salaries as benchmarks. One commissioner proposed a framework focused on benchmarking and cost-of-living adjustments; another urged a more detailed, multi-factor approach. Council Member Sapone recommended benchmarking to county commissioners and comparable professional roles and said local cost of living should factor into any recommendation.
After discussion, a commission member moved that the body "work on a recommended compensation" plan that would include an increase in base salary to address historic shortfalls relative to the cost of living, use benchmarking beyond only peer cities, and recommend a CPI-based cost-of-living factor for 2028. The motion was seconded and, under the commission’s voting rules, passed with three affirmative votes and one abstention.
The commission did not adopt specific dollar increases at the meeting. Instead, it approved the motion to develop a recommendation and continue work to define precise benchmarks, weightings and amounts before the next formal compensation decision. The meeting closed after routine housekeeping and a motion to adjourn.
