Raise The Salary

Sun., June 25, 2000

By John Webster johnwe@spokesman.com (509) 459-5421

Steve Eugster is right. The Spokane City Council should increase to $50,000 the salary for the position of council president. And the council should do so now.

It is crucial to attract a slate of strong candidates for this new position, which voters will fill in November. Talented persons who might consider running will see clearly that the job will consume their energies. Yet the salary prescribed by current law, $22,500, asks qualified contenders either to be independently wealthy or to attempt holding down a second job - an unlikely proposition, especially during the coming years of transition to the new strong-mayor form of government. The council president will chair council meetings, will set the agenda and will have to work closely with city staff, other council members, the public and the strong mayor. It is a position similar to speaker of the House, who is pivotal to relations between Congress and the U.S. president.

It no longer matters that some opposed the strong-mayor system. What matters now is making that system work well for Spokane.

When Eugster drafted the strong mayor charter, which created the post of council president, he evidently considered a $22,500 salary adequate. Cynics will say he lowballed the salary to win votes for his plan and now proposes a raise because he or some crony wants the job. But we would suggest that Eugster, on reflection, has come around to a wiser point of view. No one who understands the challenges enters the meat grinder of political service for the money. Still, without fair compensation for the time, skills and responsibilities how can a city attract quality people to its top leadership positions?

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