The City of Buffalo Mayor, and other top elected officials could see a pay raise next year if it gets approved by Buffalo’s Common Council.
Buffalo's Citizens Salary Review Commission is recommending pay raises for the city's elected officials, including Buffalo School Board members.
Here’s a look at the recommended increases:
• Mayor: $158,500, up from $105,000
• Comptroller: $119,500, up from $88,412
• Council members: $75,000, up from $52,000
• Board of Education members: $10,000, up from $5,000
The last time the mayor, comptroller, and council members received a raise was in 1998. The school board hasn’t gotten a raise since 1974.
Michael DeGeorge, the spokesperson for the City of Buffalo, issued this statement:
"The final recommendations of the Citizens Salary Review Commission have been filed with the Buffalo Common Council. Mayor Brown believes that the rationale that the members of the Commission applied to their review and recommendations are logical and sound. The Council will now have the opportunity to act on this report, and the Administration will work with them to incorporate any salary adjustments into the 2019-2020 Executive Budget Proposal.
The Mayor believes that after twenty-one years without any increases in pay, all of the elected officials in the City of Buffalo should receive an equitable increase in compensation. The new salaries would apply to any persons who hold these offices going forward, they are not a referendum on individuals, but on the value we place on public service. That being said, should a consensus on salary increases be reached with the Council within the adopted budget, the Mayor will accept those increases within the parameters of the recommendations of the Citizens Salary Review Commission."
The public has a chance to comment on the proposals at a Finance Committee Meeting scheduled for May 7th at 10am.
Common Council must approve, reject, or modify the recommendations by June 15.
