- In Hillsdale, a decision to increase the salaries of elected city officials by about 700% is likely to be revisited.
- The City's Official's Compensation Board, which sets salaries for elected officials, has not sent last week's decision on raises to City Council, says Board Chair Russell Richardson.
- Mayor Pro Tem Joshua Paladino says he thinks the circumstances aren't right for pay increases.
- WATCH THE VIDEO for Richardson's and Paladino's comments and an overview of where things stand.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
Word that City of Hillsdale elected officials could be getting a salary bump of about 700% raised eyebrows around town. Here's how far that proposal has gotten.
Right now, the Mayor of Hillsdale makes $3,700 a year. Under a new proposal, the salary would go to $25,000 per year.
By law, the City of Hillsdale Officer's Compensation Board sets salaries for its elected officials.
Mayor Pro Tem Joshua Paladino says the Board met last week for the first time in about a decade... and approved some big pay increases.
Board Chair Russell Richardson says: "When I was asked to sit on this board, I was surprised how little the Mayor and the City Council is paid..."
Richardson says Council salaries would go from $1400 to $10,000 per year — and that that's well under state averages.
Richardson explains: "What we're thinking about, deliberating on is how do we justly compensate them for that time that they're spending trying to fix the city."
But Richardson says he's been listening to the feedback: "If the city isn't ready to do that, we can go back to the drawing board. Nothing has been sent up to Council for their deliberation."
Richardson says he will likely call another Board meeting to revisit the decision.
Paladino told me what he thinks of the idea of raises:
"If taxes are maxed out, and we're charging special assessments for infrastructure, and fees and rates for everything are going up…and we have crumbling infrastructure, then I don't think it's appropriate for the City Council to take pay raises at that time."
Right now, the raises are on hold.
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