Stockbridge Council Members to See Pay Raise in 2024

Members of the Stockbridge city council will be receiving a pay raise starting in January 2024. The raise amounts to a 66% increase.

The Stockbridge council approved their increase during the December 20 meeting. It failed to pass earlier in the month following public comments against the increase.

Stockbridge Council Pay Raise

Salaries for the Stockbridge council will be increasing from $12,000 to $20,000 per council member and from $14,400 to $22,400 for the mayor. The new salaries will take effect in January 2024. According to city officials, this is the first increase in ten years.

Two residents spoke in opposition to the raise during the December 12 council meeting. They asked where the money would come from to pay the raises, and what methodology the city used to compute the increase. City staff shared they compared the council’s salary with similar municipalities.

At the time, the proposed increase failed by a vote of 2-0-2. Council members Alexander and Thomas voted in favor; whereas, council members Barber and Blount abstained. Councilwoman Gantt was not present for the vote.

The council revisited the topic at their December 20 meeting. It passed 3-1-1 with Blount opposed. Councilwoman Barber abstained. There were no comments from the public during the second meeting.

State law requires any pay increase for elected officials to take effect at the beginning of the next term. Three members of the city council will be on the election ballot this November. The council will have district-based elections following the city’s recent annexation.

Featured image shows Stockbridge City Hall. Stockbridge photo.