In the face of some pushback by residents, city leaders have lowered their proposed increase in compensation but are still moving forward with a new ordinance that would give themselves a hefty raise.
At the Oct. 27 meeting of the Taylor City Council, city leaders lowered their proposed increase from $1,964 to $1,500 per month for the mayor’s position, and from $1,528 to $1,200 per month for council members, from the current rate of $25, and decided against adding health benefits to the compensation package.
“I do think the council is long overdue in having its compensation addressed,” said Mayor Brandt Rydell. “I’ve heard more people say they want to work for City Council now. Either they are mad at us, or they think there is going to be compensation and they would like to avail themselves of it because the sacrifice would be offset with something that is reasonable, beyond the $25 that had been afforded to the council previously.”
However, several residents used the citizen’s communication portion of the meeting to express their displeasure with the proposed rule change, which will be voted on, and most likely adopted, Nov. 10.
Resident Bill Albert took issue with the fact that the proposed ordinance used the compensation formula for the City of Georgetown, which has an annual budget of more than $700 million against Taylor’s $49 million, and has a significantly larger population than Taylor.
“I am here to say that I think everybody needs pay raises occasionally, but they should be justified and comparable and competitive,” said resident Bill Albert. “I think it’s exorbitant to ask for this kind of increase.”
Ernest Ariola Jr., the brother of At-large Councilman Dwayne Ariola, who voted against the rule change without citizen involvement, agreed that higher compensation was needed, but recommended slowing down the process, lowering the proposed increase, and allowing community members to be involved in deciding.
“You guys are ready to fast-track a huge raise,” Ernest Ariola said. “In this day and age when we are under some of the highest inflation in decades. We are in a recession. Where is this burden going to come from? Are you going to put this burden on the citizens?”
In addition, Jackie Krueger returned to city chambers to echo her previous concerns from last meeting.
“We are your boss,” Krueger said. “All of us residents. You are our employees. We give you a raise. I am against you deciding.”
But city leaders said the rule change was needed to adapt to changing times and heavier workloads associated with growth and increased development.
“We are comparing the size of the towns, but that doesn’t change the amount of the time put in,” said District 1 Councilman Gerald Anderson. “In Georgetown they put in a lot of work, and we put in a lot of hours and a lot of time to make this town a better place.”
District 4 Councilman Robert Garcia said while many citizens on social media agree more compensation is needed, he believed that this council will receive criticism regardless of whether they use a committee or a consultant to address the issue.
“The reality is this. We put a committee together, and they agree with what the council should be paid, well the next argument is you all just selected a committee that’s going to give you want you want,” Garcia said.
“There is no winning in this situation,” Garcia added. “There is none.”
“I am here to say that I think everybody needs pay raises occasionally, but they should be justified and comparable and competitive.”
- Bill Albert, Taylor resident
