- Voters will decide in November if Tallahassee City Commissioners should get paid the same as Leon County Commissioners.
- The move would up their pay by about $45,000, double of what they make currently.
- Watch the video to hear from a neighbor who has concerns about the language on the ballot:
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Neighbors will decide in November whether to increase pay for city commissioners by 100%.
Tallahassee City Commissioners voted to add four changes to the city charter on to the ballot, including one increasing pay.
It’s something neighbor Emily Fritz has been paying attention to. “I follow local government because it has a bigger impact on my life than most people realize.”
She came out to speak on a change that would increase pay for city commissioners.
The charter review committee recommended a review of the current pay of the commissioners, which is set at 50% of what Leon County commissioners make.
The change would set those salaries equal to the county commission, bumping their pay up by about $45,000. The mayor's salary would remain the same.
The language people will read on the ballot just notes that the pay will be equal to county commissioners.
Something Fritz said makes the change unclear to voters. “The language doesn’t tell the voters that this ballot amendment will get an increase their salaries. It will bring salaries equal to the county commission but it doesn’t say that’s an increase.”
City leaders didn’t address her concern in their discussion after, so I took it up with Tallahassee City Attorney Amy Toman. She told me she prefers to give no comment at this time.
I did speak with commissioner Curtis Richardson who voted for the addition to the ballot. He said it’s not a recommendation by the commission to up the pay. “It will be put on the ballot for voters to decide."
The move to put the change on the ballot was not unanimous. Commissioner Jeremy Matlow said there are other areas that need funding more than the commissioners. Commissioner Jack Porter also voted no.
Fritz didn't vocalize a stance on the increase, but wants the proposal to be clear to voters. “The language is very vague and doesn’t tell the voters what the result will be.”
If you’re registered to vote in Leon County, those changes to the city charter will be on your ballot in November.
