City Government
Boise Officials To Reward Selves With Raises
October 29, 2012 
We haven’t seen any campaign signs and doubt there has been any public outcry to grant Mayor Dave Bieter a 20% salary hike, but in this non-city election year the Mayor and City Council are granting themselves pay boosts.
Not many people are able to give themselves raises. Most folks who work for someone else have to at least ASK for a raise.
Bieter used to brag he hadn’t had a raise in nine years and doesn’t get a city car assigned to him. So that is apparently justification to take the raise in one lump sum. That would give him a few bucks shy of $110,000 as well as another $1800 a year in taxpayer cash to cover travel within the city to meetings and cell phone use.
Hizzonor currently makes $91,229 annually. The six City Councilors wages would bump up to $22,800 from the current $19,375.
A first reading of the ordinance is scheduled for the council’s regular meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the State Capitol (temporary meeting quarters during city hall renovations). Second and third readings would take place at subsequent meetings.
City councilors make more than legislators, the sheriff makes more than the governor, the county clerk makes more than the Secretary of State. Local government pays well!
Ironically local government is funded mostly from property taxes. Property values have plummeted over the past 5 years, but most budgets have remained constant or increased–in the case of Boise City the budget goes up each year.
Perhaps these dedicated officials are rewarding themselves for their innovation and selflessness in times of economic recession. Afterall, they have been able to build and renovate facilities as well as provide enough cash for personal raises.
To insure more advertising-free Boise Guardian news, please consider financial support.
Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Oct 29, 2012, 4:19 pm
Reason to Revolt number 1,572…
political greed.
Oct 29, 2012, 6:18 pm
I would like to see the Legislature pass a law prohibiting local government from giving itself raises until they stand for election and win again. Local government gets away with way too much in Idaho. The state has far more restrictions and general oversight from the media than locals do. My worst experiences with government have always been with local entities.
Oct 29, 2012, 8:58 pm
I do not think that the Council members salaries increase is out of order the Mayor’s – ? Who knows, seems small enough for the responsibilities. But, I do like the idea of increases not going into effect until after an election, that would ensure that at least one topic would be on the table as an election issue.
Oct 30, 2012, 7:29 am
When was the last time the working man in the private sector got a raise? Wages have gone down not up. No they don’t need a raise.
Oct 30, 2012, 9:15 am
Can’t believe the pay increases are warranted considering the economy. Good article in Idaho Statsman today, that illistrates government pay verses the private sector. Then the benifit package and PERSI retirement to which the taxpayer’s can’t afford.
Oct 30, 2012, 10:09 am
It would seem LOGICAL these people are empowered to be officials for specific TERMS.
Which means none of them have gone more than three years being paid the salary THEY AGREED to accept for a term of 4 years when they ran for office!
Oct 30, 2012, 10:25 am
Regardless of the job they perform or how well its perceived, nobody paid from public funds should be allowed to give themselves a raise.
Its fundamental internal control that precludes almost everyone from deciding how much they should be paid.
Why do we let elected officials act differently? Are their motives beyond reproach?
Perhaps the raises are genuinely justifiable and deserved, but deciding for yourself just isn’t the way it should be done
It seems to me that the mayor and council members have a golden opportunity to to craft policy that would encourage transparency and relieve our local officials from this onerous task of being their own boss in this respect.
An effort like this would convince me (for one) that they actually deserve a raise.
Oct 30, 2012, 11:50 am
In the old world the village leaders always feasted first. Humans have not changed much over the years. And this includes the masses who provide the food.
Oct 30, 2012, 12:53 pm
It is odd to use the choice of not taking a raise to gain political favor (that is to say they blustered about saving the city $84000 or whatever the figure was, and have given themselves praise over the years for not taking an increase) and then try to recoup the entire amount in one fell swoop. They’re not saying “let’s take 5% cause we haven’t had a raise in a long time”, rather they’re taking a 20% raise so it is as if they’d gotten all the missed ones. Sorry mayor, but that’s outlandish.
Oct 30, 2012, 5:18 pm
The budget in the City of Boise is among the highest in the state — and it also goes up every year. The City of Boise wastes a lot of taxpayer money. If they want to give themselves pay raises, let them pay for it by reducing city expenditures elsewhere. (We didn’t need that great new Whitewater Park, the proposed Trolley, or that stupid Transit Center. If Bieter wants a pay raise, he can stop chasing his stupid pet projects.)
Oct 30, 2012, 9:06 pm
The real question for every citizen is how much did they pull out of reserve accounts to fund this year’s budget. It can be had with a public records request for those wanting to know.
I found out Caldwell is using reserve money to fund this years budget a whopping 13.4%. They’re broke and yet they keep right on spending their way toward prosperity.