The Metropolis Council won’t vote this 12 months to extend salaries for its members, the mayor and different native elected officers as doing so would violate native legislation, in keeping with sources accustomed to the choice.
Accordingly, it’s not anticipated Williams’ invoice will be put up for a vote till January on the earliest, Baker added, per the sources.
Baker additionally advised members of the chamber the plan continues to be for Williams to introduce her invoice Tuesday, the sources mentioned.
The reversal comes after the preliminary plan to bump wages this 12 months drew outrage from authorities watchdogs.
The invoice will have to be reintroduced subsequent 12 months it doesn’t matter what as it’s a new legislative session. However Williams famous the invoice can get a listening to in 2025 and undergo different features of the legislative course of, placing it on a monitor to be granted “pre-considered” standing subsequent 12 months that might permit it to maneuver to a right away vote after re-introduction.
There might be a complicating think about that there will likely be a brand new Council speaker subsequent 12 months, and it’s unclear if that particular person have a propensity to jack up salaries for elected officers as one of many first acts of the brand new session. Zohran Mamdani may even be mayor subsequent 12 months, changing outgoing Mayor Eric Adams.
The final time metropolis elected officers acquired a elevate was in 2016. Neither former Mayor Invoice de Blasio nor Mayor Adams, of their outgoing phrases, complied with a neighborhood legislation requiring them to convene a panel to review whether or not pay will increase are warranted for elected officers.
Council members at the moment make about $148,000 yearly, whereas the mayor makes about $258,000. The general public advocate pulls in about $184,000 and town comptroller earns roughly $210,000. Borough presidents, who’re additionally anticipated to be impacted by any raises enacted by the Council, make round $180,000 per 12 months.
Williams’ invoice can be primarily based on a 16% cost-of-living changes tens of hundreds of municipal authorities employees acquired earlier this 12 months as a part of a collective bargaining settlement. Beneath that system, Council members would get a few $24,000 elevate, Williams beforehand mentioned.
Supporters of Williams’ invoice say it’s lengthy overdue for them to get a elevate. “This has been part of internal conversations for quite some time,” Williams mentioned.
