Members of the Madison City Council proposed to increase their pay by more than double in April 2023. Under the proposal, salaries would increase from about $13.77 per hour to $29.38 per hour. Overall, the salary increase would cost $511,000 annually.
Supporters of the increase say it would allow City Council members to support themselves in Madison, which has a high cost of living, and also that the current low hourly wage is preventing people from pursuing the position. Additionally, they worry that without a salary increase, council members may step down next term.
The first concern with the proposed salary increase is the mayor’s budget increases spending by 6%. This is the highest increase since 2009 and it further raises tax collections by 5.5%. The city simply cannot afford to take on extra costs, especially when there are currently great concerns about future deficits and high spending.
While $511,000 may not seem like a lot in comparison to the large budget, the budget is projected to be $23.2 million in 2025 and $26 million in 2026. So, where costs can be avoided, it may be best for the city to do so.
There have been concerns that paying as a part-time position disincentivizes people from taking on leadership roles and even stepping into a position to begin with. A simple salary increase, however, doesn’t necessarily solve these issues, when there are more systemic problems of accessibility and marginalization, former District 8 Alder Max Prestigiacomo said.
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An increase in salary seems to be dismissing a larger issue, and thus is not efficient nor effective. Furthermore, an increase in salary is not the only way to incentivize people to take on positions and diversify a work environment.
That being said, the pay should always match the value of the work. The salary one receives should equal the value and quality of the work and the position. So, part-time work should get part-time pay and full-time work should get full-time pay.
City Council members are currently considered part-time employees. In April 2021, voters rejected a series of referenda which would make being a City Council member a full-time position as well as reduce term limits and increase salaries.
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If part-time employees are truly working full-time hours, then that is a problem which needs to be addressed with a higher salary or with a reconfiguration of the City Council responsibilities that aligns with voters’ preferences. But if the part-time work is being masked as full-time work in order to receive a larger salary, then that is something that cannot be abided.
There is no reason why anyone should be paid unfairly for their work. Despite financial concerns with the current budget, equal and fair compensation of employees should be the first priority. If council members, however, expect to be paid full-time wages for a part-time job, then a salary raise should be out of the question.
Jessica Lewin ([email protected]) is a junior studying journalism and philosophy.
