Council approves 150-percent increase in next mayor’s car allowance

Maricopa City Council approved an increase in the car allowance for the mayor starting when the new council is seated in December.

The allowance will increase from $200 per month to $500.

The subject of the increase came up during a Budget, Finance and Operations Council Subcommittee meeting early this year then again during the budget retreat, said Vanessa Bueras, Maricopa's city clerk.

“Somebody besides the mayor brought it up because of the amount of driving that he does on a regular basis for city business with his personal vehicle,” Bueras said.

Mayor Price said he logs approximately 1,000 miles per week for city business.

In order to make the change, the council had to re-adopt its salary resolution, which it approved in 2012, said Finance Director Brian Ritschel. The car allowance is part of that resolution.

Council cannot give itself a raise, so the increase will go into effect when the new council is seated, Ritschel said.

Mayor Christian Price recused himself from both the discussion and the vote.

Nancy Smith, a candidate for the city council seat vacated when Leon Potter resigned, asked that the item be removed from the consent agenda to open the issue to discussion.

Smith said she objected to the placement of the item on the consent agenda, not the increase in the allowance.