St. Charles city councilman proposes pay hike for mayor, council members, municipal judge
A bill introduced at Tuesday night’s St. Charles City Council meeting would increase the pay for the mayor, city council members and the municipal judge.
You can read the text of the bill and the accompanying document by clicking here. It was sponsored by Councilman Richard Veit, 1st Ward, who could not be reached for comment.
The increases would take effect in 2011. Veit said in the bill’s documentation that he does not intend to run for re-election as a councilman that year. “I am proposing these changes to establish a fair compensation for recruitment of good candidates,” he said.
Veit already has said he intends to run for associate circuit judge in 2010. That election is for a state judgeship, not the municipal one for which he is proposing a pay increase.
The St. Charles mayor now makes $62,000. The municipal judge makes $24,000. The council members receive $10,200 per year in salary and a $4,500 expense account.
Veit’s proposal would set the mayor’s pay at $84,000, the judge’s pay at $45,000 and the council members’ pay at $14,400. The salaries would increase or change in future years based on the consumer price index. Those who fill each of the positions would receive insurance and other benefits.
Veit draws comparisons to St. Peters, the St. Charles County Council, Florissant and St. Louis.
Here’s a breakdown of current annual pay for the comparable positions in other large St. Charles County cities and the county:
| Muni | Mayor/Exec | Muni Judge |
Council/Aldermen |
| SC County | $117,363 | $30,000 | $14,300* |
| St. Charles | $62,000 | $24,000 | $10,200 |
| St. Peters | $40,000 | $30,000 | $14,525.16 |
| O’Fallon | $19,500 | $11,000 | $7,600** |
| Wentzville | $13,200 | $13,500 | $5,500 |
*County Council members are elected in a staggered terms. Those elected in odd-numbered years currently receive $12,500. Those elected in November 2008 receive $14,300.
**The president pro tem receives an additional $300 per year.
(No Ratings Yet)
Loading ...
Mr Veit, are you out of your mind. We are in the midst of the worst global economy since the great depression, and you want to hand out raises like it’s candy? That would be a 35.5% raise for the mayor. And, you think councilmen should receive insurance and benefits. These aren’t full time jobs. This is one example of why governments are always screaming for more and more tax dollars. Mr Veit, there are a lot of people out work in this area. This is kind of a slap in the face to those folks…don’t you think? How about if you all are just happy with what you got for now, huh?
Only morons full of greed would jack up the taxpayers for something like this in a bad economy. I guess being level headed is not a requirement for City politics?
As opposed to where we are now in this County…..when you pay peanuts you get monkeys. We have animals running the zoo from St Charles to Portage de Sioux.
Looks like O’Fallon doesn’t have any bigger knuckleheads than her neighbor down the street. Waste is waste. Greed is greed. Stupid is as stupid does.
Mr. Viet, thanks for taking the spotlight off of O’Fallon for a little while.
Higher pay doesn’t entice “better” candidates at all. When you are an alderman or a muni judge you receive all kinds of compensation by way of connections made and kick backs. If you want better candidates then we need publicly financed elections so that people are running on issues rather than on who has the most money and can put out the slickest brochures. Not mentioned in this compensation is health insurance provided by local government; travel expenses; personal fund accounts; perks.
Mr. Veit, you are an idiot. Are you at all aware of our economy and unemployment that are in a downward spriral? Or do you just not care? The city is losing taxes from business that have failed, are failing, and will fail. Maybe you propose this to “suck up” for more support in your 2010 run for an associate circuit judge position. But what you don’t realize, is you will lose in 2010 just like you did in 2006, because of stupid decisions like this one.
Hey Veit,not enough bucks in it for you? Solution,get the hell out of the council,put more effort into being an also ran lawyer and you will do alright for yourself. Better yet. Move back to Florissant,where you grew up,and suck up to Lawrey and maybe he can find a big bucks job for you. You, and most other bottom feeding politicians,from D.C. all the way down to St Chas,are whats wrong with our once great country.
Unless I am completely off base here…the position of city councilperson was never intended to be a full time position with substantial pay and benefits. The salary provided was a nominal amount to compensate a person for their efforts. I don’t think it was ever intended to be full time pay to support a family on. And, benefits? I would like to know if they are receiving insurance and benefits now. If they are, they shouldn’t be. As for you Mr Viet, if it is a full time job with benefits you are after, how about practicing some law, huh?
A pay raise for our elected officials if a great way to lead by example. Recently the city conducted a wage study which showed many employees in the city that are underpaid. Our elected officials now this. The recent agreement with all three labor unions only received 2.5% payraise. So, giving double didget pay raises to our elected officials enlight of underpaid employees, terrible economy, and minimal wage increases for our labor unions is great example of leadership.
Somebody should wake up!!
A pay raise for our elected officials if a great way to lead by example. Recently the city conducted a wage study which showed many employees in the city that are underpaid. Our elected officials now this. The recent agreement with all three labor unions only received 2.5% payraise. So, giving double didget pay raises to our elected officials enlight of underpaid employees, terrible economy, and minimal wage increases for our labor unions is great example of leadership.