Spokane councilman plans public forum to discuss mayor, administration raises
Spokane City Councilman Mike Fagan said today he will host a public forum to talk about the proposed pay increases for Mayor David Condon and members of his administrative cabinet.
The mayor is poised to receive a $7,000 raise, bringing his annual pay to nearly $180,000. The increase is part of the mayor’s proposed 2015 city budget released last week. A majority of his cabinet members could also receive raises, including the police chief, fire chief, the head of the city's Community and Neighborhood Services department and more.
The forum is scheduled to be held Nov. 14 at 10 a.m. at Spokane City Hall. Everyone is invited to come and speak their mind.
With the raise, Condon will make nearly as much as Seattle's mayor, while topping the annual wages of Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers.
The raises caused outrage with members of the City Council. President Ben Stuckart called them "utterly ridiculous." With the exception of Fagan, council members roundly denounced the pay increases.
Read the announcement about Fagan's public forum below:
Spokane City Councilman Mike Fagan, District 1 is looking for open discussion with the citizens of Spokane. Fagan is spearheading an effort to talk with citizens regarding their response to the proposed salary increases for the Mayor and some key administrative staff.
Fagan is coordinating a public forum on Friday, Nov. 14 in the City Council Briefing Center at 10 a.m., where people can come and voice their opinions.
“When elected by the citizens in the City of Spokane’s First District, I promised to represent the neighborhoods in my district, and serve the community as a whole,” Councilman Fagan said.
The Spokane City Charter and Spokane Municipal Code address these salary issues. Fagan, who says he is a strong proponent of “letting the voters decide,” wants the citizens to set the course and take the lead in choosing the Council’s direction regarding any legislation related to salary matters.
“With every decision I make and every vote I take in regards to the city, I keep the citizens as my top priority,” Fagan added.
