New York City Council members voted on Thursday to increase their own salaries by 18.2%, raising their annual pay to $175,000. This adjustment follows a recommendation from the Quadrennial Advisory Commission and is the first salary increase for elected officials since 2016.
The increase will boost the council members' salaries to a level higher than those of U.S. senators and most state governors. The Quadrennial Advisory Commission, which proposed the raise, has been described as a mechanism for the council to approve pay increases indirectly.
Supporters of the raise point to the rising cost of living since the last adjustment in 2016. However, critics argue that council members, who largely entered public service with prior political experience and often without high private sector earnings, should not be granting themselves such a significant raise, especially as many ran for office aware of the existing salary.
This pay raise is retroactive to January, meaning council members will receive a lump sum for the period they have already served at the previous salary. The City Charter typically stipulates that salary increases for the council should not take effect until the following term, allowing voters to have a say in whether their representatives receive the raise.
Councilman Ty Hankerson, whose previous role was as an assistant to a predecessor, stated that his current salary of $148,500 is insufficient due to his expenses, and that he finds it difficult to afford a house. This contrasts with the median household income in his district, which is reportedly $71,000. The practice of prohibiting outside income for council members, intended to "professionalize" the body, has been criticized for effectively reserving the positions for career politicians rather than private sector professionals. Critics contend that this creates a disconnect from the financial realities faced by constituents and the broader public.