It happened in December but came to media attention for the first time Wednesday when NewsRadio KDKA’s Marty Griffin broke the story.
City Controller Michael Lamb says council added the 22 percent raise at the close of the budget session last year without public input.
The preliminary budget called for a 3 percent cost-of-living hike but by the time the final budget was passed council members were earning $88,000 a year.
Controller Lamb is right to say it’s just wrong.
The Home Rule Charter backs him up.
It says no elected city official shall receive a salary increase that exceeds the average increase of other city workers.
As of Thursday, one council member said he won’t accept the raise. We say the other council members should do the same and then hold public hearings to find out what kind of increase taxpayers do approve of.