NEW YORK CITY—The City Council will vote on legislation next week to increase its salaries beyond what was recommended by a commission appointed by Mayor Bill de Blasio.
The Quadrennial Advisory Commission, which the mayor appoints, suggested that councilmembers salaries be increased 23 percent from $112,500 to $138,315 and the speaker's salary jump 12 percent from $137,500 to $154,375.
The Council's proposal, however, would push the members' salary to $148,500, a 32 percent increase, and boost the speaker's salary 20 percent to $164,500.
None of the other elected officials' salaries studied by the commission would increase beyond what the commission recommended in the proposed legislation, including the mayor, who would realize a 15 percent salary increase from $225,000 to $258,750.
Along with the increases, the council legislation will make councilmember a full-time job, eliminating members' ability to earn outside income except for narrow concessions such as teaching a class.
The stipends, known as "lulus," for leadership and committee chairs will also be eliminated and financial disclosure forms will be available online.
The good government changes were recommended by the commission.
"Restricting outside income and eliminating all member stipends, while also designating council members' positions as full-time jobs, reflects the extensive work members conduct in their communities and across the entire city," Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito said in a statement. "The council's legislation incorporates many of the recommendations of good-government groups and sets a new standard for disclosure and transparency for elected officials."
Council sources say the commission's salary recommendations reflected the elimination of lulus, but did not take into account the transition of the position from part-time to full-time.
Only nine councilmembers out of 51 currently receive outside work income, the commission found.
The Council will hold a public hearing on the pay increases on Feb. 3 before voting on the changes on Feb. 5. The pay increases would be retroactive to Jan. 1, 2016, but de Blasio has said he will not take an increased salary for the remainder of his term but would accept the raise if elected to a second term.
Dick Dadey, executive director of good government group Citizens Union, praised some of the changes but questioned the Council's process.
In the past, the Council held a hearing on the commission's recommendations to gather input and then drew up legislation and held another public hearing on the legislation before voting.
This time, the Council did not hold a hearing on the commission's findings before drawing up their own legislation.
"In a process where they vote a raise beyond what the commission recommended they need to solicit public input," Dadey said. "The reforms are significant and welcome but this is a classic example of where the process is as important as the outcome."
Dadey was also concerned that while the salary hike is retroactive to Jan. 1, the ban on outside income would not kick in until after the next election.
"It's not the right thing to do," he said. "It could have been the right thing to do had they followed a difference process allowing public input."
De Blasio, speaking on the Brian Lehrer show on WNYC, said the commission had engaged in an "extensive process" in examining the issue and that the City Council was focused on "fundamental reform" in its legislation.
The mayor told Rita Cosby on WABC Radio that the reforms make being a council member "truly a full-time job."
"I think those kind of reforms are historic and a lot of people have been calling for them for many many years in this city," the mayor said on WNYC.
The legislation also calls on future commissions to take place in the third legislative year of a four year term so that any requested salary increases would not start until after the next election.
Elected city officials have not received a raise since 2006. The commission recommended that the raises take effect immediately because of how long it's been since the last raises were doled out.
The commission and legislation would increase the comptroller's salary 13 percent to $209,050 from $185,000; the public advocate 12 percent to $184,800 from $165,000; borough president, 12 percent to $179,200 from $160,000; and district attorney, 12 percent to $212,800 from $190,000.
