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BET approves 2.5% COLA for executive secretary; asks city attorney to analyze retroactive back pay
Summary
The Board approved a 2.5% cost‑of‑living increase for BET Executive Secretary Christina Kiderling but directed the city attorney to provide legal analysis on whether that adjustment can be made retroactive to January 1, 2026.
The Board of Estimate and Taxation voted July 22 to grant a 2.5% cost‑of‑living adjustment to the board’s executive secretary, Christina Kiderling, and separately directed the city attorney to produce legal analysis on whether and how any back pay could be granted retroactive to January 1, 2026.
The resolution cited the board’s authority under City Charter section 5.2(b) to set compensation for its executive secretary. President Brandt and other board members debated whether the COLA could be applied retroactively; Brandt said he resented how a prior financing was handled but supported capturing the savings in the refunding vote. Dan Hammers, the city attorney’s representative, said the attorney’s office has reviewed the matter and that a cost‑of‑living adjustment cannot be made retroactive as a legal matter.
Given the legal uncertainty, the BET approved the clean COLA resolution (effective with the payroll period beginning 07/26/2026) by roll call (Olsen, Payne, Vice President Bernstein and President Brandt voted aye) and then voted to direct the city attorney to present options for retroactive compensation at the next regular BET meeting.
