Toledo Council won't vote on raises before deadline

5/29/2013
BY IGNAZIO MESSINA
BLADE STAFF WRITER

Toledo City Council will not vote on raises for itself or the mayor before a deadline Saturday.

The Salary Review and Recommendation Commission has recommended increasing the Toledo mayor’s salary from $122,400 to $136,000 for the next mayor and to raise the salary of council members from $27,500 to $32,500 a year. The president of council would continue to receive a stipend of $4,500. The recommendations were left buried in committee without a mention during the Tuesday council meeting.

Council's inaction makes the decision dead in the water.

Council President Paula Hicks-Hudson said she did not call for a vote on the recommendations because there were other, more important, issues on Tuesday's agenda. 

"I don't think there was enough support for council," she said. "My vote was a maybe, but it probably would have been a no."

Ms. Hicks-Hudson said she was leaning against the measure because some city employees have taken concessions.

The commission voted 6-0 in March for the revised mayoral salary. The pay-raise recommendation for council members was approved 5-1 with Lucas County Republican Party Chairman Jon Stainbrook casting the sole no vote.

The mayor’s salary was reduced from $136,000 to $122,400 four years ago when Democrat Carty Finkbeiner was mayor, and the reduced salary was paid to the current mayor, independent Michael Bell.

Mr. Stainbrook said that the economy has not recovered enough for long enough to justify future increases to council's pay.