Boston Mayor Michelle Wu signaled Tuesday she is considering exercising her veto power to lower the scope of a recently approved pay raise for her own office and for the city’s 13 councilors.
Last week, the council voted unanimously to boost their annual pay by 20% — from the current $103,500 to $125,000 — an increase that represents $10,000 more than what Wu originally proposed.
The approved measure would also boost pay for the mayor’s office from an annual $207,000 to $250,000. That increase represents $20,000 more than what Wu proposed for the mayor’s office.
The raises would take effect after the next city council election in 2023 and mayoral election in 2025, respectively. Wu said Tuesday, they represent “too high” of an increase.
“My primary concern is that even our city workers, our first responders, our frontline workers who showed up every day at tremendous risk to themselves and their families during the pandemic, some of these workers are now with an expired contract of two years, three years or more,” she explained, pointing to the majority of the city’s 19,000-strong workforce who get salary increases through contract provisions.
“They have not gotten any adjustments even by contract,” Wu continued. “So, the timing of [the increase] is concerning to me and the scale of it.”
The controversy emerged after Wu attempted to give herself and the council a more modest raise — 11% — as part of a package of increases for a handful of upper management and mayoral cabinet level officials whose pay is set according to city ordinance. These include the Boston Police Commissioner, Fire Commissioner, Chief Information Officer, City Auditor, City Clerk and Chair of the Election Commission.
The Wu administration has argued it needs to increase wages in order for Boston to remain competitive for drawing talent to its ranks.
Although the council amended Wu’s original proposal to increase its own pay and the mayor’s, it did not do the same for the city’s upper management positions.
Wu said the council would have the authority to override her veto with a two-thirds vote if she does ultimately send it back with adjustments.
Produced with assistance from the Public Media Journalists Association Editor Corps funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.
