Boulder to add pay increase to November ballot for mayor and council members

(The Center Square) – The city of Boulder’s new ballot measure, which could potentially increase the pay for both the mayor and city council members by nearly four times, will be put before voters at the November election.

If approved by voters, the ballot measure would increase the base pay for council members from $12,695 to $40,880 and $51,100 for the mayor, starting December 2026 when new council members are sworn in, according to documents from a Sept. 5, 2024, City Council Meeting.

The document states that city council members attend 52 meetings each calendar year and receive $244.14 per meeting for a total of $12,695.28 in 2024 due to Charter Sec. 7 that allows a $100 stipend.

According to the documents, the salaries were settled in June at 50% of the annual area median income for the mayor and 40% for council members. The Area Median Income means the Area Median Income reported annually for a single-person household and will be adjusted annually beginning Jan. 1, 2028, if approved.

The ballot measure will read as follows:

“Shall Sec. 7 of the Boulder Home Rule Charter be repealed and replaced to set compensation for City Council members at 40% of the Area Median Income and 50% of the Area Median Income for Mayor, commencing on the swearing-in date of the newly elected City Council in December of 2026, as more specifically provided in Ordinance 8640?”

Voters will also be asked to decide on two other council-centered ballot questions in November, one authorizing the city council to hold executive sessions behind closed doors, and the second ballot measure would allow council members, by ordinance, to have the power to establish appointive boards and commissions, change terms, eligibility, and meeting schedules. This would be effective Jan. 25, 2025.

The city of Boulder did not reply to an email seeking comment.