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Council approves 4% cost-of-living increase for mayor and council effective 2027
Summary
Hampton approved a one-time 4% cost-of-living adjustment for the mayor and council to take effect July 1, 2027; staff cited state code limits and said the raise equals $1,720 annually for council members and $1,880 for the mayor based on current statutory maximums.
Hampton City Council adopted an ordinance to amend the noncoded ordinance that sets salaries for the mayor and council members, authorizing a one-time cost-of-living adjustment of 4% to take effect July 1, 2027.
Staff explained the change follows a 2024 state update to the statutory maximums (cited in the meeting as mayor $47,000 and council members $43,000). The city manager said the proposed 4% increase is the same factor set for the general workforce in the fiscal 2027 budget and gave dollar equivalents: the cost-of-living increase would be $1,720 for council members and $1,880 for the mayor. The city attorney noted ambiguity in the code about cumulative adjustments and that the conservative approach limits increases to 5% at any one time without additional guidance.
After a public hearing with no speakers, council moved and seconded the ordinance and approved it by roll call. The city manager also noted the increase will not take effect until July 1, 2027, and described the fiscal impact as relatively modest for the budget.
