Thursday, Feb. 1, 2001 | 10:34 a.m.
Last July the Boulder City Council earned a dubious distinction when it voted to raise the pay of its members -- the annual $5,000 hike for councilmen and $8,000 boost for mayor would go into effect before some had to face the voters again. City Councilman Bill Smith, who opposed the raises, has put forward referendums this spring that would wipe out the hikes that are due to take effect this June. In a tit-for-tat move, last week the City Council voted to place on the June ballot a competing measure that would ratify its earlier pay-raise vote. But the Charter Commission, an advisory panel, this week sensibly suggested that the City Council shouldn't boost its pay without first standing for re-election.
Even Councilman Joe Hardy, who backs the pay raise, acknowledged to Sun reporter Jeffrey Libby that the Charter Commission's decision "probably reflects what the majority of people would feel comfortable with, that people should not give themselves a raise without standing for re-election." It is hoped that this sentiment is infectious, so much so that this questionable attempt to raise members' pay is finally derailed when the City Council takes up this matter again on Feb. 13.
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