“I just don’t think it’s right for a sitting mayor to be handed a raise,” Mayor Luke Hopkins said. “It should wait until the end of a term.”
Hopkins, who was elected in November, has a salary of $92,500 per year.
The five-member Salaries and Emoluments Commission recommended the raise late last week, pointing out that the mayor is the chief executive officer of the borough and yet earns less than some borough staff, including the borough attorney, chief financial officer, public works director and borough clerk.
The assembly’s presiding officer agrees.
“There’s been no raise in that position for 10 years,” Presiding Officer Mike Musick said. “It’s no reflection either way on the past or current or even future mayor. The position, it strikes me, should have compensation appropriate for being a mayor of a community of 100,000 people.”
The compensation panel also thinks members of the borough Board of Education should receive a $50-per-month raise, which would put their monthly stipend at $450. The president of the Board of Education should receive a $100 increase to $500 per month, the commission said.
According to a memorandum from commission chairman Monte Jordan, the commission studied compensation in other Alaska municipalities before making its recommendations.
The five-member commission, which includes two former assembly members, noted the rising cost of fuel in its rationale for the school board raises.
“Fuel and other costs associated with attending meetings has increased. It should not cost a member to serve in this capacity,” the memorandum said.
The mayor’s salary was last raised, from $85,000, in 2000, according to the commission. The panel also is calling for the mayor to receive a 2 percent annual cost of living adjustment.
In 2008, the commission recommended giving the mayor a $17,500 raise, which then-Mayor Jim Whitaker opposed.
Contact staff writer Amanda Bohman at
459-7544.
I say, good for Mr Hopkins.
And if you want to see real gross corruption in action, check out "Captain Gucchi" of Dept of Public Safety fame.
Good point.
But what if he knows that you knew that this move was all arranged to help make him look good?
I don't think you're looking deep enough...
Presiding Officer Mike Musick said. "It's no reflection either way on the past or current or even future mayor. The position, it strikes me, should have compensation appropriate for being a mayor of a community of 100,000 people."
So the mayors job is twice as important as the average resident?
"The median income for a household in the city was $40,577, and the median income for a family was $46,785. Males had a median income of $30,539 versus $26,577 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,814. About 7.4% of families and 10.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.6% of those under age 18 and 7.0% of those age 65 or over."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairbanks,_Alaska
or borough wide
$34,722.000
http://www.fedstats.gov/qf/states/02/02090.html
A lot of people have important jobs.
There is incontrovertible proof that the FNSB ninjas are being trained to give Rush Limbaugh a wedgie. This will cause instability in the Middle East and usher in the New World Order.
If your going oppose something at least put effort into being creative. Both opinions would be as based in reality, but one is a much better story.
He is a regular Alaskan man, just like many others I know.
He DOES care about his wages. He IS in opposition to the raise. If he says he doesn't want it, then he really and truly does not want it.
He drives an old beat up jalopy of a truck, looks almost as bad as my own. He does not wear Armani suits or Gucchi leather loafers.
He considers his words before he speaks. And he considers his actions before he takes them.
You people need to find something real to rant on about.
There's not winning for Luke with you people. If he takes the money he's wrong and if he doesn't he's stupid.
lose-lose
It's some sort of liberal plot!
He KNOWS we know he wants the raise so he's going to turn it down to spite us!
Those shifty libs make me so mad...
Me thinks these public servants need a pay cut to make up for their budget shortfalls, and to bring them down to the level of their constituents.
If you're not in the game to selflessly represent the people, then go find something else to do.
$92.5k? Good grief.
When did all this happen? I can remember school board memembers SERVING the public, not collecting wages and benies. No wonder the taxes are so far out of sight... where will it all end?
Mayor Luke is 100% correct in opposing this raise. Last fall there was no shortage of people lining up to take the job- and they all knew what the salary was.