City Council salaries...

**Al Publican** · April-02-13, 01:14 PM

What is the current salary for city council members? Has it been frozen or reduced in recent years? Are cars still provided to council members?

**TexasT** · April-02-13, 01:18 PM

Per this article from 2/2012 [[and with other cities, for context):

"City Council Members’ Salaries in Major U.S. Cities:

Los Angeles: $178,789; full time
Washington, D.C.: $130,538; part time
New York: $121,725; part time
Philadelphia: $121,107; full time
Chicago: $109,261; part time
San Jose: $89,710; full time
Boston: $87,500; full time
San Diego: $75,096; full time
Detroit: $73,595; full time
Baltimore: $63,178; full time
Phoenix: $61,610; part time
Pittsburgh: $57,815; part time
Houston: $55,770; full time
Dallas: $37,500; part time
San Antonio: $1,400; part time

Salary statistics are only one indicator of overall income, though. Mayoral residences and city-owned cars provided to council members — uncommon perks that apply to Detroit — also come at a cost to taxpayers. And despite relatively low salaries, Detroit City Council’s budget makes up 1 percent of the city’s general-fund spending, the largest among the 15 cities the Philadelphia Research Initiative studied in 2010."

**drjeff** · April-02-13, 01:45 PM

I've always wondered, what the hell does the city council DO most of the time, since it's a full time job? I could ask the same of the state legislature.

**TKshreve** · April-02-13, 01:48 PM

Originally Posted by drjeff

I've always wondered, what the hell does the city council DO most of the time, since it's a full time job? I could ask the same of the state legislature.

Dodge grapes?

**Al Publican** · April-02-13, 01:57 PM

Are there still nine members of Common Counci? [[Formal name is Common Council, not City Council, right?) Nine members for 700,000 citizens. Did council go to "districts" last year or are they still voted on an "at large" basis?
signed,
moved out west after a half century in Detroit but still interested

**DetroitPlanner** · April-02-13, 02:04 PM

The next election will be by district with two at large members.

**TexasT** · April-02-13, 02:11 PM

Originally Posted by drjeff

I've always wondered, what the hell does the city council DO most of the time, since it's a full time job? I could ask the same of the state legislature.

I felt the same way but I've been making more of an effort to listen to City Council meetings online while I'm at work. There are a lot of things they go through, from zoning to approving lawsuit settlements to city initiatives. They have to figure out how to vote on each of these, which is what I presume they do. Here is today's agenda, for example.

As far as personal cars, I thought that was too much for any executive, but my husband, who works in the public sector, explained how much some public execs have to travel daily [[from local place to local place) and how much business they get done while commuting [[phone calls, reading, etc) a few hours a day. That makes sense to me to have drivers for that purpose, provided they really are that busy [[not necessarily City Council, but public officials in general).

**Smirnoff** · April-02-13, 06:05 PM

In the private sector we drive ourselves, drive our own cars, drive to multiple sites, & use our own cell phones to conduct business in getting tasks/projects/initiatives completed.....geez, wonder how that happens

**detroitsgwenivere** · April-02-13, 06:37 PM

Originally Posted by Smirnoff

In the private sector we drive ourselves, drive our own cars, drive to multiple sites, & use our own cell phones to conduct business in getting tasks/projects/initiatives completed.....geez, wonder how that happens

Huh. I've never had to drive my own car on company time. Either has my dad. We both have driven company cars, were given gas cards, filled out mileage reports, and were compensated for any personal money spent on maintenance, working for different companies. Hell, my dad got to take his truck home with him so he wouldn't have to drive to the office first before going out on a call. I don't expect full-time city council people to drive their own cars around all day either, all though I do have a hard time paying for someone to chauffer them around if they are perfectly capable of driving themselves.

**Honky Tonk** · April-02-13, 09:12 PM

Originally Posted by detroitsgwenivere

Huh. I've never had to drive my own car on company time. Either has my dad. We both have driven company cars, were given gas cards, filled out mileage reports, and were compensated for any personal money spent on maintenance, working for different companies. Hell, my dad got to take his truck home with him so he wouldn't have to drive to the office first before going out on a call. I don't expect full-time city council people to drive their own cars around all day either, all though I do have a hard time paying for someone to chauffer them around if they are perfectly capable of driving themselves.

Here's the question: Are they driving around all day, and if so, why? I thought most of City business took place @ City Hall? So you're giving someone a car to drive into work? If they need to go to Southfield, or somewhere, on business, they can sign out a City pool car. That ought to bring some of the cost down.

**detroitsgwenivere** · April-03-13, 01:26 AM

^^Well Tonk, about a month ago I spoke to Brenda Jones at a community safety meeting at the IBEW hall. It was her FOURTH community meeting that day after leaving CAY. She was absolutely exhausted, leaning on the podium the entire time she spoke. Contrary to what some think about Detroit residents, one thing we love to do is have meetings [[mostly to bitch about crime, streetlights, and the EFM).

**Honky Tonk** · April-03-13, 07:38 AM

Originally Posted by detroitsgwenivere

^^Well Tonk, about a month ago I spoke to Brenda Jones at a community safety meeting at the IBEW hall. It was her FOURTH community meeting that day after leaving CAY. She was absolutely exhausted, leaning on the podium the entire time she spoke. Contrary to what some think about Detroit residents, one thing we love to do is have meetings [[mostly to bitch about crime, streetlights, and the EFM).

Point taken. I wouldn't want to be running my vehicle into the ground on company business either. I guess I would have to look @ the job, miles required, times required, etc., to see if there was some cheaper solution to the problem. But then, I'm not the EFM. Having worked @ the COD, I do know there is LOTS of room for improvement. The City motto should be "But we've ALWAYS done it this way!".

**firstandten** · April-03-13, 08:14 AM

Either have availability to city owned vehicles or write the miles driving on city council business off on their personal taxes, but to have drivers is a waste of money and an insult to the Detroit taxpayer.

**bailey** · April-03-13, 09:07 AM

Originally Posted by detroitsgwenivere

^^Well Tonk, about a month ago I spoke to Brenda Jones at a community safety meeting at the IBEW hall. It was her FOURTH community meeting that day after leaving CAY. She was absolutely exhausted, leaning on the podium the entire time she spoke. Contrary to what some think about Detroit residents, one thing we love to do is have meetings [[mostly to bitch about crime, streetlights, and the EFM).

All well and good. However, for a total distance driven of what? 50 miles? It's not like she was driving to Grand Rapids to Traverse city to Lansing and then back to Detroit. I would bet there are soccer moms out in Novi that do just as many miles as she does.

I would rather see a car subsidy [[ not a total pay for whatever they want) and mileage. Make it their responsibility to deal with it and track their own mileage.

Trips out of the area could be done with a city owned car...or hell, a rental.

It is such an easy PR move. I don't get why they don't do it and do it very loudly. It it literally the FIRST thing people point to when they talk about how out of touch the CC is.

**Cincinnati_Kid** · April-03-13, 09:17 AM

They all are overpaid. Kinda like Detroit residents paying high taxes for insufficient services received.

**Honky Tonk** · April-03-13, 09:19 AM

Originally Posted by Cincinnati_Kid

They all are overpaid. Kinda like Detroit residents paying high taxes for insufficient services received.

I like you.....

**poobert** · April-03-13, 09:47 AM

The shiny black Crown Vics with the X on the license plate are a status symbol. They also allow you to park WHEREVER the fuck you want, even when parking is readily available [[I know, a certain Council President blocked the fire lane outside my work to attend some obviously essential honorary breakfast).

So they go to meetings. Big deal. To what end? Paid campaign time? I'm a big proponent of the idea that 90% of all meetings are pointless, private or public sector [[and I work in both). City Council members go listen to people bitch, dole out some empty promises, say call my office anytime, and get whisked away. And Brenda Jones would be exhausted after a freaking flight of stairs.

I really don't see how paying [[and providing benefits, including fringe) to a public body that now has no actual power is defensible, but, I dunno, I guess the North Korean Parliament gets paid too.

The state legislature is just as bad, but I guess you have to provide some sort of employment for shrieking, gun-toting outstate backwoods nutjobs.

Both bodies should be part-time jobs, no benefits. We can begin that after we dump all current members of both bodies on Isle Royale for the Hunger Games.

**Honky Tonk** · April-03-13, 09:53 AM

Originally Posted by poobert

The shiny black Crown Vics with the X on the license plate are a status symbol. They also allow you to park WHEREVER the fuck you want, even when parking is readily available [[I know, a certain Council President blocked the fire lane outside my work to attend some obviously essential honorary breakfast).

HEY! A man's gotta eat.

**bailey** · April-03-13, 09:54 AM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

HEY! A man's gotta eat.

No carbs though... they ruin the Abs.

**aj3647** · April-03-13, 01:04 PM

Originally Posted by detroitsgwenivere

Huh. I've never had to drive my own car on company time. Either has my dad. We both have driven company cars, were given gas cards, filled out mileage reports, and were compensated for any personal money spent on maintenance, working for different companies. Hell, my dad got to take his truck home with him so he wouldn't have to drive to the office first before going out on a call. I don't expect full-time city council people to drive their own cars around all day either, all though I do have a hard time paying for someone to chauffer them around if they are perfectly capable of driving themselves.

I'm willing to bet that you and your dad also worked for PRIVATE companies that were turning profits also, is that correct? That you weren't working for a nearly-bankrupt public municipality?

Apples and oranges.

In this era of belt-tightening, when people are losing their jobs and city services are stretched to the breaking point, we should ask ourselves if cars and chauffeurs for the City Council are ABSOLUTE NECESSITIES? Well, are they?

Yeah it'd be a real freaking shame if they had to use their own cars and then get reimbursed for the mileage. I'm sure many Detroiters will shed tears over such a difficult sacrifice and indignity, we weep for their brave sacrifice.

If it were up to me, City Council would be a part-time position [[just like NYC, somehow they manage OK) and cut their pay by half. And no, they would not get a public car. If they need one for legitimate business travel, sign one out of the motor pool.

**detroitsgwenivere** · April-03-13, 02:50 PM

^^ Yeah. Private companies. That was the point I was responding to.

**detroitsgwenivere** · April-03-13, 02:58 PM

Originally Posted by poobert

So they go to meetings. Big deal. To what end? Paid campaign time? I'm a big proponent of the idea that 90% of all meetings are pointless, private or public sector [[and I work in both). City Council members go listen to people bitch, dole out some empty promises, say call my office anytime, and get whisked away. And Brenda Jones would be exhausted after a freaking flight of stairs.

If city council people never showed up at any community functions, you would bitch about that instead

**detroitsgwenivere** · April-03-13, 03:59 PM

Originally Posted by bailey

All well and good. However, for a total distance driven of what? 50 miles? It's not like she was driving to Grand Rapids to Traverse city to Lansing and then back to Detroit. I would bet there are soccer moms out in Novi that do just as many miles as she does.

I would rather see a car subsidy [[ not a total pay for whatever they want) and mileage. Make it their responsibility to deal with it and track their own mileage.

Trips out of the area could be done with a city owned car...or hell, a rental.

It is such an easy PR move. I don't get why they don't do it and do it very loudly. It it literally the FIRST thing people point to when they talk about how out of touch the CC is.

50 miles every other day? If I'm driving around 140 sq miles of jacked up city roads all the time, I sure as hell am not going to do it in my expensive ass car, I don't care what anybody thinks.

That being said, I think the issue here is not whether or not there are less costly ways to do things, we all know that there are. It's about entitlement and expectation. Government workers [[postal, security, metermaids, whatever) expect to drive around in vehicles other than their own because of the expense that racking up miles on a car can cumulate. It's cheaper to provide a fleet vehicle to a mobile employee than it is to pay for someone's blown out Cadillac [[a subsidy for a ford focus is not gonna cut it, and I shouldn't have to own one just because I'm an elected person, hypothetically).

Elected officials feel entitled to do the same because they see themselves as government workers too. Not to mention the fact that there is a segment of our population that feels that since our city is a "world class" city like any other [[don't laugh), and other world class cities have vehicles provided to their elected officials, then our elected officials deserve the same as well, regardless of the economic state that it's in.

Am I one of those folks? No. But when times are good should they be able to drive a government car? I think so. We can agree to disagree on the ideology of it. Would it be a good look for city council [[and the mayor) to take the bus while we cut bus service, fire and police? You bet. No argument from me on that one.

And soccer moms in Novi? Really?

**mam2009** · April-03-13, 10:23 PM

The purchase of those cars [[with the rest of the City fleet) was paid off years ago & I'm pretty sure the City is self-insured. It would probably cost more to provide a mileage reimbursement and/or stipend than it does to pay for gas & maintenance. If the City Council wasn't using those five cars [[I think four drive their own cars), another department would. Giving up the cars doesn't save the City money. Its mostly just a symbol. I'm not saying they shouldn't make the largely symbolic move. Just providing a little info.