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West St. Paul’s Charter Commission is meeting on Thursday, May 16 to consider a significant increase to Council and mayor salaries. In the past, annual raises have been the standard cost of living increase, but there’s interest in a more substantial increase with proposals ranging from 3% to 58%. Any change requires Charter approval and a unanimous Council vote.
Why: Reasons vary from keeping pace with other cities to better reflecting the work involved. Additionally, lower salaries can limit elected office to those who can afford it. Better compensation could also attract more interest in the job (going back to 1988, nearly 35% of West St. Paul’s City Council elections are unopposed).
Budget impact: “No matter which approach the Charter Commission chooses, the increased costs are not substantial burdens to the city budget,” said City Manager Nate Burkett in a memo about the proposed changes. Current Council salaries total just under $60,000. The most extreme increase would top out around $95,000.
Salary Proposals
Burkett offered a range of proposals from the standard 3% cost of living to three levels of substantial increase based on the top comparable cities. Each option can be justified based on different adjustments happening to staff salaries (with the exception of median).
Here’s a look at proposed increases for 2025:
| Mayor | Council | Total Cost | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current: | $10,480 | $8,165 | $59,470 | |
| 3% cost of living: | $10,794 | $8,410 | $61,254 | $1,784 (3%) |
| Average of comparables: | $14,769 | $11,744 | $85,235 | $25,765 (43.8%) |
| 80th percentile: | $17,399 | $12,945 | $95,069 | $35,599 (58.5%) |
| Median: | $13,519 | $11,024 | $79,663 | $20,193 (35%) |
Here’s what the top comparable cities are paying:
| City | Mayor | Council |
|---|---|---|
| West St. Paul (current) | $10,480 | $8,165 |
| South St. Paul | $12,300 | $8,700 |
| Brooklyn Center | $13,341 | $10,214 |
| Richfield | $13,519 | $10,493 |
| Brooklyn Park | $21,996 | $12,578 |
| Crystal (2019) | $10,620 | $8,170 |
| New Hope | $15,106 | $11,024 |
| Inver Grove Heights | $11,400 | $8,200 |
| Columbia Heights | $13,800 | $7,800 |
| St. Louis Park | $20,838 | $14,413 |
Last time: Previous raises were a 3% increase in 2022 and a 2.75% increase in 2020.
- During a 2020 Council salary discussion, former Council Member Dick Vitelli argued that it’s important to do regular raises or it can create an optics problem for future Councils. “Nobody does this to get rich,” Vitelli added.
The Process
The Charter Commission is required to consider Council/mayor pay raises every two years. Approved recommendations from Charter go to City Council where they require a public hearing and a unanimous vote (including the mayor). Any approved pay increase won’t take effect until after the next election.
More changes: The Charter Commission will also consider rolling back the timeline of salary changes so they come before the filing period opens in an election year.
May 24, 2024 Update: 26% Raise Recommended
Last week the Charter Commission met and unanimously recommended a 26% pay raise for the mayor and City Council members. The resolution explains “the goal of getting closer to comparable cities and making service on the Council more accessible.” See our City Council Preview for more details.
July 9, 2024 Update: Raise Approved
At the July 8, 2024 City Council meeting, the Council unanimously approved the proposed raise, which will go into effect in 2025.
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