GREEN: Mayor Gerard Neugebauer has cast his first veto since taking office Jan. 1, killing the just-passed large pay raises for new and re-elected City Council members starting in 2018 and 2020.
The action comes 10 days after council, in a 4-3 vote, approved 89 percent pay raises from $8,000 a year now to $15,102 plus benefits and annual 3 percent automatic increases beginning in 2018 for ward council members and 2020 for at-large members. The increases were based on one-seventh of the mayor’s salary and 3 percent annual automatic increases.
Resolution sponsor John “Skip” Summerville, who is term-limited at the end of 2017 by the city charter, said at the council’s Nov. 22 meeting that members hadn’t had a raise since the $8,000 level was approved in 2004.
He added that he hoped passage would create more diversity on council and more interest among residents to seek elected office.
During a phone interview Saturday morning, the mayor called the veto “difficult but responsible.”
Word leaked out late Friday following a meeting in which Neugebauer invited City Council President Ken Knodel and two other unnamed councilmen to hear his reasoning for the veto.
Neugebauer said he also made suggestions about restructuring the legislation to make it more palatable for the administration, the city’s residents and those outside Green, who contacted him — with most suggesting the increases were “unwarranted.”
“I’m trying to work with Council. I’m not playing politics with this issue,” Neugebauer explained. “I’m taking the high road with this because I believe it is the right thing to do and is good for them [Council], too.”
He repeatedly stressed, “I am trying to avoid political tension.”
In his veto statement, which is required by city charter, Neugebauer wrote:
“It is under this burden of responsibility that I disapprove this resolution for the reason that it is not in the best interest of the citizens of the City of Green because the compensation that was established is not reasonable compensation.
“As a former councilman, I respect the value and the considerable effort that our elected council representatives provide to this community. For this reason, I am actively working with council representatives to determine reasonable, just, consistently applied compensation for this service.”
Council Finance Chairman Chris Humphrey, who voted against the package with at-large colleague Justin Speight and Ward 2 Council Bob Young, said after learning of the veto:
“Having voted against council’s pay raise legislation, I applaud the mayor for exercising fiscal responsibility and common sense in exercising his veto over this legislation.”
Reached late Saturday morning, Summerville said he was “withholding comment at this time.”
Knodel, who voted for the package, said Saturday he had wanted to work something out before the vote and tried to get council to participate in discussion but it didn’t happen.
“The issue behind all this,” Knodel said, “is the inequity with the compensation package,” Knodel said. He pointed out that some of the members receive city health care, while others who are covered by their regular employers were restricted from the city plan by the previous administration.
“I have been working with the administration, and believe I presented something equitable where part-time council members will be able to take advantage of the city health care plan but will have to pay for it as a part-time employee of the city,” he said.
Ward 1 Councilman James V. Ahlstrom II, a pay-raise supporter, said he would withhold comment for now.
Measure opponents Speight and Young couldn’t be reached for comment.
At-Large Councilman Stephen Dyer, who voted for the increase, said, “It’s disappointing that the mayor decided that council shouldn’t be paid the same as the mayor.
“I think it’s a basic tenet of democracy that the legislative and executive branches of government are co-equal partners. Apparently the mayor doesn’t believe so.
“Back in 2009, I voted to cut my pay while in the state legislature. I am more than willing to reduce my compensation package when times warrant, but at this time I feel it’s fair to have the legislative and executive branches make the same whatever the amount.”
George W. Davis can be reached at: mediaman@sssnet.com.