Maricopa City Council members voted unanimously to increase their own salaries by 42 percent. The mayor’s salary was bumped 53 percent in the Nov. 21 meeting.

Since incorporation, the council compensation had been $12,000 except for two years during the recession, when they took a 38-percent cut.

Starting in January, the mayor will rise from $15,000 to $23,000 annually and the councilmembers will make $18,000. A cushion was left in the July-approved budget in case the compensation was increased.

Mayor Christian Price presented a study from the League of Arizona Cities & Towns listing compensation for elected officials. He argued he and council outworked other municipalities with higher salaries. He said he dedicates 50-60 hours a week to mayoral duties.

Councilmember Nancy Smith thought the $6,000 increase was too drastic but ultimately supported the final numbers. Though several councilmembers said it was uncomfortable to talk about their own value, no one spoke against a raise.

Mayor Christian Price: You can make an argument on any side. The argument has to be based on what do you think that you do and you accomplish and that you will expect of your future council that sit on the seat at some point.

Vice Mayor Marvin Brown: The city council of Maricopa has never had a pay raise. The $12,000 was a salary that has been paid since 2003.

Councilmember Henry Wade: Justifiable compensation is not where we are currently.

Councilmember Peggy Chapados: If we want to attract the caliber of people that continue to raise the bar for the city, we have to make the monetary compensation a big part of that.

Councilmember Nancy Smith: I think it’s time to make a significant difference between what the mayor makes and what city councilmembers make.

Councilmember Vincent Manfredi: We know for a fact it’s not a part-time job … It’s a lot of time that you invest.

Councilmember Bridger Kimball: I’m the only person up here voting on this that it’s not going to affect. I’m comfortable with the separation between mayor and council being $5,000. We all work very hard. I don’t think any of us ran for office for the money.


This story appears in the January issue of InMaricopa.