LV Council puts plan for pay increases on hold

Thursday, Jan. 23, 2003 | 11:11 a.m.

Citing tough economic times, Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman and the Las Vegas City Council voted unanimously Wednesday to kill plans to put an advisory question before voters to consider giving them raises.

Goodman said the issue would "put real stress on our structure" in the wake of Gov. Kenny Guinn's recent State of the State address calling for everyone to tighten their belts.

Still, several council members said the issue will have to be addressed in the near future, otherwise, only the rich would be able to govern the city.

Councilwoman Lynette Boggs McDonald noted the last two mayors -- Goodman and Jan Jones -- are "millionaires" and that half of the freshman class in Congress is comprised of millionaires.

Goodman agreed with Boggs McDonald that people from all walks of life, not just the rich, should have the chance to serve the public.

Earlier this year, Las Vegas City Manager Doug Selby, following the recommendations of a citizens committee that called for raises for the elected officials, put the issue on the City Council agenda.

It became great fodder for critics even though the raises would not have taken effect until after elections this spring and after the 2005 elections, meaning the current members were not necessarily voting for raises for themselves.

Each council member is paid $40,664 annually. The mayor is paid $53,422 a year.

Last month, Goodman struck the proposal from the agenda and asked Selby to consider ballot questions that would leave the raise issue up to voters. On Wednesday, they scrapped that plan.

Goodman and councilmen Lawrence Weekly, Michael McDonald and Gary Reese are up for re-election this spring. Boggs McDonald, Larry Brown and Michael Mack will not run again until April 2005.