TUCSON, AZ (Tucson News Now) -
City council salaries, should our elected officials be making more? The city has just
announced they are now putting together a panel to review appropriate salaries
for mayor and council.
Anyone who works
as an elected official will tell you it's a full time job with no regular
schedule. Should they make more? Voters will have to make that
decision.
"My day starts at 6
a.m. and goes until 8-9 p.m.," said Mayor Jonathan Rothschild.
"I get home
literally 7 days a week at 11:30 or 12 o'clock at night, that's not an
exaggeration, I have a full time job on campus," said Steve Kozachik, Ward
6 Tucson City Council.
In
fact most of these council members have more than one job, or a spouse who can
support them as they serve the community.
"This is a 60-70
hour commitment a week, it's hard to get away from it, you're on the job all
the time," said Councilman Paul Cunningham, Ward 2.
The mayor has put
his law career on hold. "I make $42,500 a
year," said Mayor Jonathan Rothschild.
"When I first
started salary $12,000. Now, $24,000. Which I believe is under
poverty level," said Shirley Scott, this is her fifth term on the council.
About
$42,000 for the mayor and $24,000 if you serve on council is the salary. Several attempts to
increase the salary have failed. But, these leaders say while they'd do it
anyway, "if you want to
attract people with a greater breadth of experience to these jobs you've got to
pay them more," said Kozachik.
"I'm going
to let the people judge that. I'm good with it. To me it's a
mission of love," said Rothschild.
If you'd like to serve on the panel to help determine mayor and council
salaries or if you want to nominate someone to be on this panel, submit a letter
of interest by Thursday, December 19 at 5 p.m. to:
CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE
ATTN: YVONNE L. ESPINO
CITY HALL 10TH FLOOR
WEST
P.O. BOX 27210
TUCSON, AZ 85726
EMAIL: Yvonne.espino@tucsonaz.gov
This is a 2 month
appointment. Seven commission members will be appointed by the City
Manager.
Political affiliation is not a consideration. Commission members must be
registered voters living within city limits. They cannot be employees of
the City of Tucson or a parent, sibling, spouse, of an officer or employee of
the city.
Copyright 2012 Tucson News Now. All rights reserved.
