Published: December 27, 2008 07:59 pm      

Charlestown, Hall have history of big pay raises

Gov. Daniels discouraging raises for all government officials

Since the news broke, a proposed pay raise for elected officials in Charlestown has dominated discussion.

However, city records show this isn’t the first time higher wages have been an issue there.

The Charlestown City Council will vote on proposed raises for elected officials at 5:30 p.m. Monday at the Charlestown Arts and Enrichment Center.

Under the proposal, Mayor Bob Hall’s salary would go up 37 percent — from $39,950 to $54,995 annually. Clerk Treasurer Donna Coomer would get a 26 percent raise — from $38,000 to $47,995 annually. And members of the City Council would receive a 34 percent raise — from $5,968 to $7,995.



Nearby cities

Coomer argues that the increases will put them on par with nearby cities.

The mayor of Scottsburg — a smaller city by population — makes $65,000 per year, she said. Its treasurer makes $49,875 and its council members make $6,248 each, she added.

Elected officials in two other nearby cities — Salem (which is smaller) and Madison (which is much larger) — make comparable salaries as well, she noted.

The Evening News did an analysis earlier this month. It found that mayors in Indiana cities closest to Charlestown’s size — Brazil, Columbia City, Angola and Tell City — make less than what’s being proposed for Hall.

“The mayor definitely needs to be paid more than what he’s being paid,” Coomer said.

Although, she said, that the raises being proposed are negotiable.



The last big raise

Hall said in an interview earlier this month that the last time the mayor’s office received a raise was in 2000 — during his first term.

According to city records, the raise being proposed back then was even larger and nearly doubled his salary — going from $20,102 to $39,950.

Hall, who could not be reached for further comment prior to the holiday, has said the raises were justified.

He noted that taxes are being cut by nearly 10 percent; overtime by city employees has been cut; and the city has fewer employees.

Coomer notes that the general fund budget has barely increased over the last year. The 2008 general fund budget was $3.1 million and the 2009 budget was $3.2 million, she said.



Governor: No raises in 2009

But all the talk of raises has come during troubled economic times.

During a news conference Tuesday, Gov. Mitch Daniels suggested that public employees at all levels in Indiana consider skipping a pay raise in 2009.

“Raises will be few and far between in the private economy for awhile,” he said in a press release.

“The private economy is where the taxes come from that go into the paychecks of public employees,” Daniels said.

“Those of us whose paychecks come from our fellow citizens and neighbors ought to look for chances to help those neighbors and show some solidarity.”



SO YOU KNOW

• The Charlestown City Council will vote on pay raises for elected officials at 5:30 p.m. Monday at the Charlestown Arts and Enrichment Center.