The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that the City of Wauwatosa's Common Council could soon be acting on several proposals, including one that would double their mayor's yearly salary. As a sidenote to that, Wauwatosa also currently has a full-time City Administrator.
This is relevant to Franklin as our Common Council debated, rather briefly, over the concept several months ago. It was during the time when talks began about the future of the 27th Street Steering Committee and several other city issues when the talk of putting a referendum in front of the voters regarding mayoral pay was brought up. This was led strongly by Common Council President Steve Taylor, who made several arguments for the increase in mayoral salary, one of which includes the fact that it's the mayor, not city administrator, who is truly held accountable by taxpayers. When it was discussed, the council took no action - not even a consideration of putting the issue to the voters.
In Franklin, the problem with our leadership on a regular basis seems to be our leaders (in particular those who have been seated in aldermanic seats for many years) focus on past votes or discussions a little too much (and often). For example, when the talk of increasing mayoral pay was brought up, several aldermen mentioned a vote by residents taken in 1999 where a referendum to make the mayor's position full-time was defeated 51-49%. Even though it was a narrow 2% defeat ten years ago, some aldermen have made that vote look like the voters resoundingly rejected the notion of a full-time mayor/increasing the mayor's salary.
Now we look at Wauwatosa, where a Common Council committee recommended doubling their mayor's salary, with no referendum mentioned, and keeping their city administrator in place. This would make Tosa's mayor have a yearly salary of $45,000.
So what should be happening in Franklin? Should the voters make the decision on the mayor's salary via referendum? Should the council take action all on its own, as it seems Wauwatosa is doing? Should the current status-quo regarding mayoral pay in Franklin be kept in place for another several years? Personally, I have taken the position that I believe our mayor should be full time, and that the city administrator position should be re-evaluated, and perhaps eliminated altogether.
Looking at the bottom line, voters could approve a full-time mayor with a salary somewhere between $45,000 and $60,000. Modifying or eliminating the city administrator position would likely save taxpayers money, since I'm sure City Administrator Mark Luberda makes more than $60,000 per year in income from taxpayers. Due to that alone, I believe it worthy of greater discussion and not shoved back in some closet due to false fears of voters rejecting any notion of what would be brought forward.
