Stratford's next elected mayor will make $20,000 more than what its current mayor is earning now.
The Stratford Town Council Monday approved the pay raise by a 7-2 vote. The raise bumps the $90K salary up to $110K and comes with no increase over the next eight years.
So if Mayor John A. Harkins runs and wins a 2013 re-election campaign, he will in essence receive a 22 percent raise for his second term.
"If you break it down over eight years, it comes down to what would be a cost of living adjustment for each year," said Councilman David Fuller (D-6), calling $110,000 "reasonable" compensation.
"I'm comfortable with that amount," said Councilman Jason Santi (D-4). The last Council wanted to raise the salary to $130,000, he said.
While all Town Council members agreed that a salary adjustment was needed, some thought a $20,000 increase was too much.
Stephanie Philips (D-2) and Christian Barnaby (R-1) are the two Council members who voted against the raise.
Comparison with Other Towns
"I actually think $100,000 would be a more appropriate number for the mayor," Philips said. There are two towns with similar median household salaries that pay its mayors around $100,000, she said.
But one of those towns allows its mayor to seek a salary outside of his or her municipal duties, Philips noted. Stratford's mayor is not permitted to take such action.
Though Philips did not name the two towns, a report of chief executive salaries by Stratford’s town attorney shows that Danbury, which has a median household salary of $65,419, pays its mayor $104,015 a year; and Norwalk, which has a median household salary of $75,695, pays its mayor $100,000.
The median household salary in Stratford is $66,127, according to the report.
However, both Danbury and Norwalk have larger municipal budgets than Stratford. According to the report, Danbury's budget is about $209M and Norwalk's $280M, while Stratford's is $188M.
Editor's note: The following comment was provided by the office of Mayor Harkins: "The mayor is deferring the council on salary issue as it was their own bi-partisan initiative."
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Say No to Make Your Day
about the Mayor Pay Raise? Town Councils can rescind motions, resolutions, and ordinances the month after they are voted. (I am unsure how that rule is affected by a lame duck Town Council?) I do believe, before the new council is sworn in next month, the existing Council could have one Order of Business and Reduce the Raise to 2 % a year. Councilor Jim Connor admitted the Mayor's benefit package is closer to 65 % than 40 %, due to the Free Car & $ 10,000 expenses, plus other things. Who would start and collect signatures for a petition to reduce the new Mayor's Pay?
(http://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Miron-and-top-administrators-depart-with-240-000-291793.php#ixzz1druMNDj4 ) Over 4 years that would make the salary $100,000 a year or was it $130,000 in the last year.? If the salary is set at $90,000 where did that extra money come from? Does this mean if the current mayor decides not to run , he can walk away with $40,000 in his final week like the previous mayor did?
Are you suggesting Stratford 'goes out to bid' for the next Mayor and hope the Voters accept the lowest bid?
It would be much more benificial to Stratford Homeowners if they had a say, through Referendum, how much of our tax money gets spent by Our Board of Education and no 'going out to bid' for a Mayor is not an accepted practice. In my opinion $90,000 plus all those perks is enough for the position. Ms.Rothenberg. Never stop questioning the 'status quo'.
A Stratford resident who adores the town of Stratford, Mrs. Jaclyn Rothenberg
That 22% + 22% would be pledged to Seniors, Vets, & Fixed Income. - Futher, I would cut my expenses Budget by 50% I would place a cap of $ 6000 towards Health Care & reduce Town's matching retirement by 50%. - Being obese - I can't fit into the green cars. I am unsure of Mayor's transportation budget cost. It would be transparent. - My schedule would include both flex time for days / nights to visit each of 10 districts rotating monthly over 1 year. - I would be available as often as Jim Miron was available, which is far more often than Mayor Harkins. I would credit ideas received from constituents. - Every Town Council Public Forum speaker would be acknowledged with a spot on the website noting issue raised - who is handling it (department) scheduled solution date - date completed! - I would handle some web responses. Many would be delegated. - Budget vaguarities would be clarified and summaries consolidated: 1 - Total Town Attorney Fees, per FIRM / Lawyer past 30 years 2 - Total Monetary Settlement with Court Case # = Both should be Public? 3 - Attorney costs over lifetime of last 30 years main Attorney costs like: * Airport * Avalone * AVCO * Labor * Pension * Raymark * Shakespeare * Tax Appeals 4 - Total Fire Dept Budget / PAY for 30 years 5 - Total Police Dept Budget / PAY for 30 years 6 - Total Define Benefit Cost Todate + Unfunded 7 - Unfunded Mandates REVENUE IDEAS
Bauer said it appears Miron, McCauley and Winterbottom received about $40,000 each, and Norko cashed out at nearly $50,000. http://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Miron-and-top-administrators-depart-with-240-000-291793.php#ixzz1druMNDj4
$134,500 Police Pensioner/$84,800 base pay, "cashed out $ 37,000" lowering LIFETIME Pension contribution in for 27 years to $ 95,000. - $ 95,000 TOTAL into the Defined Benefit Pension $ 3,050,000 from annual Pension if he lives/is paid 30 years. - I would get in trouble with Patch if I wrote the words I believe this PENSION PROGRAM is and the relationships of the OVERSIGHT? - Miniture version of Wall Street or Congressional " ....... ...... ?"
Be careful, Miron may threaten to sue you for reminding everyone what he did. I dunno, but after that, to me it's just a tad hypocritical to decry a mayoral raise after doing that. Especially in mass media like these posts and letters to the editor.
Those people in public office walked away with $240,000 on their last day. So much for being in "public office to office to serve the people". What kind of example was set when those folks just walked out on the town with no notice. I wonder if some collected unemployment too because they were fired by Miron on their last day. Pretty slick. $20,000 is nothing I want to hear what the candidates have to say about millions in town attorney "fees" and bloated pensions.
She tried to compare the Mayor of Stratford's salary to Bloomberg the Mayor of NYC. How ridiculous. Bloomberg works for $1 a year because he is a multi billionaire and can. I don't see any billionaires running for the Mayor of Stratford. The salary change for the Mayor was justified. Get over it. Hopefully we can get better Mayor's now than the last two.
by offering to work for 22 % less salary than existing and cuts in other parts of the benefit package. Email reply from Ron Ing, Stratford HR Director: "Mr. Mulligan, The base salary of the May or is $90,000.00/year. Based on the annual salary and his benefit package the daily rate is $ 346.15/day. Since the defined benefit pension plan is not available to employees hired after September 1999 the Mayor is not eligible for the that plan. Any employee in the defined benefits plan pays all appropriate taxes. There is no tax free pension that I am aware of for any current past or future Town of Stratford employees."