NEWBURGH – It has been
years since the Newburgh City Council had a pay raise and the lawmakers
are going to consider increasing their salaries.
Council members including the mayor now earn $9,000 per year.
At Thursday night’s city council meeting, Member Torrance Harvey,
brought up the issue citing what he believed to be comparisons with other
area cities.
“Poughkeepsie, Kingston, Middletown, and Beacon, if you look at
the city council salaries, they are at $20,000 and $25,000, but if you
look at the legislative persons elected into this position, including
our mayor, is $9,000,” he said.
In actuality, city council members in Port Jervis earn $5,000 a year;
Middletown council members earn $10,000; Beacon council members make $9,000;
Poughkeepsie council members earn $9,000; and Kingston council members
make $7,500.
The mayors in Middletown and Kingston are full-time, with both earning
$75,000 per year.
Newburgh Councilwoman Genie Abrams is not so sure that a pay hike would
be appropriate.
“It has been a long time, but I think the last thing we should do
as a council is to raise our own salaries,” she said.
Newburgh lawmakers will be discussing the issue further.
Newburgh:
$9,000 – Part-time Mayor
$9,000 – Council members
Kingston:
$75,000 – Full-time mayor
$ 7,500 – Council members
$ 8,500 – Majority and Minority Leaders
$10,000 – Alderman at Large
Poughkeepsie:
$25,000 – Part-time Mayor
$ 9,000 – Council members
$11,000 – Council Chairperson
Beacon:
$25,000 – Part-time Mayor
$ 9,000 – Council members
Middletown:
$75,000 – Full-time Mayor
$10,000 – Council members
$15,000 – Council President/Alderman at large
Port Jervis:
$20,000 – Part-time Mayor
$ 7,500 – Council member at large
$ 5,000 – Regular Council members
