City of Columbus budget includes pay raise for Mayor and City council, some opt out

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – The budget for the City of Columbus includes pay raises for the Mayor and City Council, but not everybody is cashing in.

At Tuesday night’s meeting, the Council voted to amend a city ordinance that would allow the raises to become effective immediately.

As it was originally written, that section of the city’s code stated that any pay increases for the Council or Mayor could only go into effect *after* the next election.

The budget includes an 8 thousand dollar a year raise for the council and a 10 thousand dollar raise for the mayor.

Council members Rusty Greene and Jacqueline DiCicco voted against the change.

They, along with Mayor Keith Gaskin, are also declining the pay bump.

“I think the raises are for the positions, not the people. If you look across the state there are mayors that make that much and more in Mississippi. There are council members that make much more than our council members are going to be making at this time, so these have to be individual independent decisions,” said Mayor Keith Gaskin, Columbus.

Council members currently make just over $18,000 a year. The Mayor makes $83,000.