Pay raises for Milwaukee leaders; proposal pitches 15% increase
MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee's mayor and Common Council members could get a 15% pay raise. Other top city leaders would also get a big boost. A committee advanced the proposal on Wednesday, Jan. 10.
The mayor's salary has been the same since 2008 – roughly $147,000 a year. Under the new proposal, it would go up 15% to about $169,000.
Common Council members have also had the same pay for 15 years – $73,000 a year. Under the proposal, it would go up 15% to about $84,000. The Common Council president's pay would go from $82,000 now to $94,000.
"Sixteen years of a flat salary. So I do believe there should be an increase for elected officials. I don’t believe the number 15 is appropriate," said Milwaukee Alderman Michael Murphy (10th District).
The Common Council members would also get a maximum of 3% raises in the following years – but only as much as that offered across the board to general city workers.
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"A natural reaction was: what do you mean, you just asked for a sales tax and now you’re going to increase salaries for not just electeds but the folks who are most well compensated," said Milwaukee Alderman Scott Spiker (13th District).
Milwaukee Alderman Scott Spiker
The Common Council's Finance Committee advanced the proposal in a 3-2 vote.
"We had the opportunity, as he mentioned to go over a $100,000. We chose not to, because that’s being good stewards and we put our general city employees in front of us as the leaders that we are," said Milwaukee Alderman Mark Chambers (2nd District).
Milwaukee Alderman Mark Chambers
Milwaukee's Legislative Reference Bureau said if Common Council members got a 2% cost of living increase every year since 2008 (when they were not getting pay raises), this year's salary would be $100,000.
Pay for city leaders in other cities
What do other similar cities pay their leaders? The Legislative Reference Bureau reviewed 2022 data. Cleveland city council members got paid $80,000, Detroit's got $82,000 and Minneapolis' members received $106,000.
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The proposal would also give raises to dozens of other city leaders, including department heads and top staff. Police and fire chiefs would go from $151,000 now – up to $199,000. The Public Works commissioner's pay would go up to $208,152.
The debate over these pay increases now heads to the full Common Council, in a city where the U.S. Census Bureau reports the median family makes about $45,000.
The Common Council and mayor cannot give themselves raises in their current terms. If this proposal passes and is signed, it would not go into effect until after the April election, when the city votes for mayor and Common Council seats.