Photo: Stephanie Stremplewski/WFIU News
Mayor Kristen Brown says her pay raise will go back into the city coffers.
Both elected and non-elected city officials in Columbus will soon see larger paychecks. The city council voted last night to approve a 3-percent cost of living raise.
The raise for elected officials, including the mayor and city councilors, follows the raise the council previously approved for all city employees.
Mayor Kristen Brown says that raising her salary is necessary to raise the salaries of department heads, who traditionally make less than the mayor. However, Brown says she does not intend to keep her raise which would amount to about $2500 a year. Instead she says she will return the money to the city’s general fund.
The pay raise passed the council 6 to 1. In voting against the measure, Aaron Hankins said the council members should not have the right to give themselves pay raises.
