Over the objections of three Batavia City Council members, a dozen city hall management employees will get a pay raise on April 1.
The objections came in the form of “no” votes on the 2016-2017 city budget and a separate resolution authorizing the 2.75-percent pay increase.
Voting against the budget and the pay raise for the managers, not covered by a union contract, were council members: Paul Viele, Ward 1; Kathy Briggs, Ward 5, and Rose Mary Christian, Ward 6.
Ward 4 Councilman Al McGinnis was absent from the meeting.
“I just couldn’t support the pay raise right now,” Viele said, “not that they don’t deserve it, but taxpayers deserve a raise, too. We’ll see what happens next year.”
Another resolution to increase the hourly rate of part-time and seasonal employees from $9 per hour to $9.31 was passed with Viele, Briggs and Christian voting no. Christian and Viele also voted no to a 3-percent increase in water rates.
The $16.3-million budget called for a tax levy of $5.1 million, which translate into a tax rate increase of .8 percent. The budget becomes effective on April 1.
We have a new Jason Five.
We have a new Jason Five. This passed 5-3, with Jankowski, Tabelski, Hawley, Canale and Pacino, voting to raise our property taxes, mostly to give Molino and his office staff a pay raise.
Thank you Viele, Christian and Briggs for trying to hold the line.