Youngstown council expected to repeal raises
Youngstown council expected to repeal raises
YOUNGSTOWN — At the recommendation of Mayor Jay Williams, outgoing city council members will vote Friday to repeal pay raises for 2009 and 2010 for about 100 city workers, including those in management positions.
City council unanimously approved the 10.3 percent salary increases — up to $9,000 increases for some — at its Nov. 19 meeting.
While the raises were merited and the decision to increase salaries is something the city has done for many years, Williams said his gut told him that the decision on the raises needed further consideration.
Williams is asking council to keep the 2.5-percent pay increase, effective Tuesday, for the city workers, but to repeal 4.5-percent raises effective Jan. 1, 2009, and 3-percent raises effective Jan. 1, 2010.
Also, Williams is requesting council amend a separate ordinance passed Nov. 19 regarding pay raises for the police and fire chiefs. The chiefs will still get 3-percent raises, effective Tuesday, but council would repeal their raises for 2009 and 2010, 4.5 percent and 3 percent, respectively.
City officials will re-evaluate the pay raises for those impacted by this decision when it gets closer to January 2009 and January 2010, Williams said. The decision will be based on the city’s finances and “other pragmatic considerations,” he said.
The decision had nothing to do with editorials in The Vindicator objecting to the pay raises, the mayor said.
For the complete story, see Friday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com.