AURORA, Colo. — On Monday night, the Aurora City Council will consider whether to ask voters to increase their salaries.
Denver7 dug into the issue to find out why some believe the change is needed and listened to community members who appear divided on the issue.
Aurora City Manager Jason Batchelor and Aurora City Attorney Pete Schulte introduced the proposal.
“Aurora is the third largest city in Colorado and on pace to be one of the 50 largest cities in America in the near future. But pay rates for elected officials have not been substantially increased since voters approved a new base pay scale that took effect in 2018,” said Joe Rubino, an Aurora city spokesman. “It is with that reality in mind that the City Manager Jason Batchelor and City Attorney Pete Schulte brought this ballot referral ordinance forward for Council consideration.”
The proposal would base their new salaries on the salaries of Arapahoe County commissioners.
The mayor, who is paid as a full-time employee, makes about $98,000 per year. Under the plan, his salary would increase to $150,000, equivalent to that of an Arapahoe County commissioner.
Council members are considered part-time employees and make just $22,000 per year. Their salaries would more than triple to $75,000 per year, which is half the salary of an Arapahoe County commissioner.
“Those salaries would then be adjusted automatically as the county commissioners’ salaries are adjusted,” said Rubino.
Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman is on board with part of the plan.
"I support the increase for the council members, but not for myself, because I think my pay is adequate as a full-time mayor,” said Coffman.
Aurora Council Member Angela Lawson told Denver7 it could be a good way to get more people interested in serving.
"I think that that would get more people to come in and actually run for council, because they would have more of a salary and wouldn't probably have to work another job, should they not want to do so,” said Lawson.
Denver7 is also hearing your concerns about these huge raises, and opinions vary widely.
“That doesn't sound like a good idea. I don't think that they should triple their salaries,” said Heather, an Aurora resident.
"It depends on how much they're trying to increase. You know, triple is a lot,” said Ashley Gaffney, another Aurora resident. “But yes, I could be voting, yes."
"I see so, so many homeless people stuck on drugs and fentanyl and meth and things like that. And, you know, I'd rather see something done about that,” said Cameron, an Aurora resident who said he talks with people experiencing homelessness quite often. "I feel like it should go in the opposite direction, where the results should result in their wages going down.”
If the council approves this proposal, it will go on November’s ballot for voters to consider.
If voters approve it, the earliest it would take effect is January 1, 2026.
City council members in Denver, the state’s largest city, make more than $110,000 per year. The mayor of Denver is paid $205,000.
In Colorado Springs, the state’s second-largest city, council members receive an annual stipend of just over $6,000, while the mayor is paid around $129,000.
