City Budget
Budget Gives Stealth Pay Boost
Budget Gives Stealth Pay Boost
An obscure 2006 ordinance gives policy
makers same raise as the rank-and-file
by Ken Martin
© The Austin Bulldog 2014
Posted Wednesday September 10, 2014 3:05pm
The Austin City Council yesterday adopted an annual budget of some $3.5 billion for Fiscal Year 2014-2015, with Mayor Lee Leffingwell casting the only “no” vote.
Tucked inside was a hidden pay bump for these elected officials.
The current incumbents will enjoy the 3.5 percent pay raise for just a few months, starting October 1. The raise will mainly benefit the newly elected mayor and 10 council members who are scheduled to take office when inaugurated at 6pm Tuesday January 6, 2015, in Council Chambers.
The mayor’s annual salary goes from $79,601 to $82,387, an increase of $2,786, by The Austin Bulldog’s calculations (the City’s public information office was not able to obtain an official figure from the Human Resources Department in time for this story).
The council members’ salaries rise from $67,695 to $70,064, an increase of $2,369 (also our calculation).
There was no public notice of the raises.
City Manager To Get Raise if Employees Do
As will the city clerk and city auditor; the
municipal court clerk gets 5 percent bump
by Ken Martin
© The Austin Bulldog 2012
Austin City Manager Marc Ott will get a pay raise after all—if the City Council gives the city’s non-civil service employees a raise when a 2012-2013 budget is adopted next month.
The Austin Bulldog reported August 16 that the City Council reviewed Ott’s performance in executive session that day and dismissed the item in open session when Mayor Pro Tem Sheryl Cole said, “... we look forward to his continued service.”
Resolutions passed at yesterday’s council meeting state that the city manager, city auditor, and city clerk all will get whatever percentage pay raise is granted to the city’s rank-and-file.
The city manager has proposed a 3 percent pay increase for non-civil service employees.
