BURLINGTON — The City Council voted Monday to place a question on the March Town Meeting Day ballot asking residents to increase councilors’ compensation.
Dave Hartnett, I-North District, who originally proposed giving councilors a raise, said at previous meetings that the increase is warranted because pay has remained stagnant for more than a decade. The council was reduced from 14 to 12 members in 2015, further increasing the workload for each member.
Councilors currently make $3,000 annually, a figure that was set in 2003. Adjusting for inflation, that figure in today’s dollars would be $3,992, according to the resolution the council approved. The resolution would increase their pay to $5,000.
If approved by voters in March, the charter change would need approval from the Legislature.
