The city of Vancouver’s salary review commission will hold a meeting and public hearing at 10 a.m. Friday at City Hall regarding how much the mayor and city council should earn in 2017-18.
Although the commission has met five times already this year, the five-member board remains far apart on what members think Vancouver’s elected officials should be paid. The deadline to make a decision is May 1. The commission, which is appointed by the mayor, has the final say in the matter.
The current monthly salaries are $1,800 for the council ($21,600 a year), $2,000 for the mayor pro tem ($24,000 a year) and $2,300 for the mayor ($27,600 a year).
Mayor Tim Leavitt has said that considering how much time he invests in his mayoral duties, the job warrants a $100,000-a-year salary.
While some salary commissioners believe that holding public office is a public service requiring nominal pay, others argue that the salaries should be boosted considerably to attract the highest-quality candidates and eliminate financial barriers to serving on the council.
On March 30, the commission rejected both a 2 percent cost-of-living adjustment as well as a proposal for a nearly 40 percent pay increase for the council and a 63 percent pay increase for the mayor. Commissioners say they want to hear the public’s thoughts on what the salaries should be.
Vancouver has a city manager form of government. City Manager Eric Holmes earns $210,000 a year to run the city, whereas the mayor and city council are elected to set policy, sit on various boards and represent the city at public events and ceremonies.
Vancouver City Hall is at 415 W. Sixth St. Visitors should check in with the information desk in the lobby.
