On a sunny Monday in March, more than a dozen people gathered on the 12th floor of Phoenix City Hall to talk about other people’s salaries.
“It was a good experience,” said Brent Kleinman.
He joined six other members of the city's Citizens’ Commission on Salaries of Elected Officials. Members are appointed by the City Council, as required by the city charter. In 1973, voters created the commission to review salaries and make recommendations to voters. The process was unknown to Kleinman until his council member suggested him for the commission.
“I was surprised when I found out this is how Phoenix does that. I mean, I've lived here since 1990, and I know I voted on this. I didn't think about it. I mean, I think it's neat that the city puts this in front of the people,” he said.
It’s been nearly 20 years since the commission last recommended raises. Since 2006, the mayor’s annual salary has been $88,000 while each council member earns $61,600. Their numbers double when you add pensions and other benefits.
“So, the city was really good as far as breaking down all the health-care benefits, car benefits, phone, all the extra perks they got, they detailed out to us, so we had that as a resource,” Kleinman said.
Those benefits are not on the ballot. Voters are simply asked whether the mayor’s salary should be $103,840 and the eight council member’s salaries should be $77,000 each. That equals an 18% pay hike for the mayor and 25% for council members.
Before chairing this year’s commission, Tony Moya served as a member twice.
“The times were different,” he said. “The economy was different.”
Between 1995 and 2005, the commission met four times. Every time, it recommended pay increases that voters approved.
Those four pay hikes over a 10-year period were followed by zero raises for almost 20 years.
Why?
When the commission met in 2009, Phoenix was reeling from the Great Recession. In 2010, the City Council approved a controversial tax on food that lasted five years, a key reason commission members recommended no raises during that period.
In 2020, just before the pandemic, the commission also rejected raises. The meeting minutes refer to members’ comments that salaries didn't seem to be an issue and, based on information about cost of living and other cities’ pay, their discussion was limited. In fact, 18 minutes after the meeting was called to order, it was adjourned.
“If not now, when are we ever going to do it? Is it going to be another 20 years?” Moya said, pointing out the city’s finances. “And now we are in a surplus.”
Phoenix currently has an $80 million surplus but deficits are projected for the next two fiscal years.
“I just think the timing is bad,” said District 1 Councilwoman Ann O’Brien, who is running unopposed for reelection.
The mayor and council members set policies and budgets and hire a city manager to handle daily operations. Technically, elected officials’ jobs are considered part time. While some council members have other jobs, O’Brien does not.
“I don't think that I could do justice to the job I want to do if I did it part time,” she said.
Kleinman believes Phoenix’s elected officials put in full-time hours.
“And they've got to be paid something where they're not worried about, where do I make an extra $20,000 or $30,000 a year?” he said.
O’Brien said she understands why the commission supports raises but, “for me I just, with our budget concerns, and all the increases for everything else that our residents pay, I can't support it right now.”
No other council members responded when asked if they support or oppose pay increases. Mayor Kate Gallego said she doesn’t think she needs one.
Compared to cities with the same council-manager form of government, Phoenix officials are paid about the same as Dallas, more than Fort Worth and San Antonio and less than Austin.
The salaries were projected on a screen in the 12th floor conference room at city hall, where commission members met twice before finalizing their recommendation.
“The compromise that we came to was a unanimous decision,” Moya said.
Now that their jobs are done, voters will have the final say. Election results will determine the mayor and council members’ salaries until at least 2028, when the commission will meet again.
In addition to Proposition 489, which will decide the salaries of mayor and council members, Phoenix voters will decide two other measures:
Proposition 487: Alternative expenditure limitation
The alternative expenditure limitation, often referred to as home rule, allows a city to maintain local control over its budget rather than default to a state-imposed limit.
A “yes” vote will allow Phoenix to continue local control over spending.
A “no” vote will require Phoenix to operate under a state-imposed formula based on 1979-80 expenditures adjusted for inflation and population.
The city says a “no” vote will results in an estimated $2.1 billion reduction in fiscal year 2025-26 budgeted expenditures and reductions in or eliminations across all city services.
Proposition 488: General Plan
The general plan is a long-term guide that guides how Phoenix will grow by addressing transportation, housing, land use and other issues. It is a living document, meaning it can be updated to reflect changing conditions and priorities. State law requires a public vote to update or readopt a general plan every 10 years.
A publicity pamphlet issued by the Phoenix City Clerk's Office includes ballot language and arguments in support of Props. 487 and 488. No arguments were submitted against either. In the case of Prop. 489, which addresses elected officials’ salaries, no arguments were submitted either for or against the measure.
