Boulder City Council may have to delay pay raises until after election

Jeffrey Libby

Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2001 | 10:11 a.m.

When the Boulder City Council meets Feb. 13, council members will have to decide whether to accept as a mandate a recommendation Monday from the Charter Commission that would kill any chances of keeping raises they voted themselves last July.

In a 4-2 vote, the Charter Commission ruled that any amendments to the city charter concerning salary increases for the City Council should be effective immediately following the municipal vote in June.

The City Council sent the commission early last week a proposed initiative for the June ballot that would have preserved raises due to go into effect this summer by delaying any changes to the charter until June 2003.

But if the amendment were enacted immediately, as proposed by the Charter Commission, the current City Council, like future councils, would have to stand for re-election before earning raises.

Councilman Joe Hardy proposed the initiative as a compromise to Councilman Bill Smith's citizen-driven initiative.

Smith's ballot question, authorized earlier this month, would prevent City Council members from benefiting from a raise during a single term of office. It would also eliminate the monthly allowances for auto and health expenses and limit council members to out-of-pocket expenses, effectively halving their compensation.

Smith's initiative and Hardy's initiative, still in its draft stages, will most likely appear as competing questions on the June ballot. If both pass, the initiative that receives the most votes would govern.

But Hardy's initiative could be rendered moot by a second Smith initiative on the primary ballot in April. That initiative would repeal the raises voted last July.

According to the raises approved in July, Mayor Robert Ferraro would receive an $8,000 annual raise without having to stand for re-election. Councilmen Joe Hardy and Bryan Nix would receive $5,000 same-term raises.

Earl Burris, a member of the Charter Commission, spoke Monday in support of Hardy's initiative to preserve City Council raises.

"Boulder City has a $20 million annual budget," Burris said. "I don't think we should be pennywise when we're paying people for running a $20 million business."

Glen Kasson, also a member of the Charter Commission, disagreed.

"Unless you own your own business, you don't vote yourself a raise unless you convince the boss," Kasson said. "It's a contract with the voters. You can't say you're willing to serve at a certain amount and then come along in the middle and say, 'I think I'm worth more than that.' "

City Attorney Dave Olsen countered that individual council members will suffer financially if the raises are repealed.

"I believe several council members are supportive of Mayor Ferraro earning a better retirement package," Olsen said.

If the raises are upheld, Ferraro would earn an additional $300 per month in retirement benefits.

The state Ethics Commission ruled Ferraro violated state codes of ethics in December by not disclosing that fact during public discussion last summer.

Olsen also said he was concerned that Councilman Mike Pacini, a grocery store clerk, could be hurt if the raises are voted down.

But commission member Maria Heaton said the commission shouldn't be looking at individual people's needs.

"It's not about personality. It has nothing to do with past, present or future councils. It's with the charter," Heaton said. "I believe the original intent was that the sitting council would not vote themselves a particular increase. Whether that's right or wrong, it avoids the appearance of wrongdoing."

Hardy said this morning that the commission's ruling "probably reflects what the majority of people would feel comfortable with, that people should not give themselves a raise without standing for re-election."