Many oppose pay raise for Chubbuck mayor

Chubbuck residents spoke against a 45 percent pay increase for Mayor Kevin England at a special city council session Wednesday.

At the start of the meeting, several council members declined to raise their own pay and instead turned the discussion to whether the mayor should receive a pay increase.

England has suggested increasing mayoral pay from $45,000 to $65,000 per year — nearly a 45 percent increase.

The majority who spoke at Wednesday’s meeting said they felt the increase was too steep.

“Personally I think a 45 percent increase is obscene. I don’t have an objection to a reasonable increase,” said Chubbuck resident Glen Schwartz.

England said Chubbuck’s mayoral pay hasn’t been adjusted since 2006 and that there have been significant increases in living costs since.

He said that Blackfoot recently raised pay for its mayor from $45,000 to $60,000.

“I didn’t get into this for the money, that’s for sure. Had money been the deciding factor, it would have never happened. I took a major decrease in pay,” said England.

Pay for Chubbuck’s elected officials can only be amended by city ordinance and can only take effect during election years.

City Council will revisit the issue next Wednesday at 6:30 p.m., at which time England said they could decide whether or not to draft an ordinance.

Should a pay increase be approved, it wouldn’t take effect until 2016.

England said the city has enough funds available to pay for a raise without raising taxes.