15% Raise Proposed for Mayor, Other Officials

The salary of New Britain’s mayor would increase 15% under a proposed resolution under consideration in the City Council.

The raise would appear to increase the salary of the mayor to $101,167, up $13,196 from the existing $87,971.

The new mayoral salary would be appear to be $54,949 higher than the $46,218 estimated median average household income in New Britain in 2018, the most recent year for which data is available from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.

The median household income of $46,218 would mean that half of New Britain’s households lived at that income or lower in 2018. The proposed raise would appear to make the mayoral salary more than double, 219%, of the median average household income in New Britain.

Republican Mayor Erin Stewart would have to win re-election in the 2021 city elections to get that raise, since it would take effect on November 9, 2021. But it is widely believed that Stewart will, in fact, seek re-election.

The proposal, introduced by Ald. Wilfredo Pabon (R-1) and Ald. Michael Thompson (R-4) would also increase salaries of the elected positions of Tax Collector and Town Clerk and, position of Corporation Counsel, who is appointed by the mayor. The proposal is the recommendation of the Council’s Compensation Committee.

The City Council is presently controlled by a Republican majority. In 2017, during the previous term of office when the Republicans were in control of the Council, the majority Republicans had also proposed an increase in the mayoral salary – a proposed a 23% increase that was set aside amid public opposition.

Under the proposal, the salary of the part-time position of City Corporation Counsel would apparently increase from $31,978 to $36,775. The current Corporation Counsel, Gennaro Bizzarro, an appointee of Stewart, is also the State Senator for the Sixth District, which includes New Britain.

Like Stewart, Tax Collector Cheryl Blogoslawski (R) and Town Clerk Mark Bernacki (R) would have to be re-elected in 2021 to receive the raises.

Blogoslawski’s current salary is $70,772 and her position would apparently receive a raise of $10,615.80 for a new level of $81,388. Bernacki’s current salary is $68,305 and his position would apparently receive a raise of $10,246, setting the salary at $78,551.

The lowest paid of the city’s full-time elected officials, the two city registrars of voters, Lucian Pawlak (D) and Peter Gostin (R), have salaries of $54,626. Their positions’ salaries would apparently increase to $62,820. Those raises would take effect January 5, 2021.

The proposed resolution says that, “The Compensation Committee does not recommend an increase for the positions of Common Council Members, Clerk of the Committees or Treasurer.”

Clerk of Committees Matt Malinowski, also a part-time position, is listed with a salary of $11,718. The salary of City Treasurer Ron Jakubowski (D) is listed as $2,500. Members of the City Council have a salary of $3,500, except the President Pro-Tempore, Ald. Kristian Rosado (R-2), whose salary is $4,500.

The City Charter provides for a process in which the Council,

shall review, establish and Act upon in even-numbered years the rates of compensation for (1) the members of the succeeding Common Council, (2) the Mayor, (3) the Collector of Taxes, (4) the City and Town Clerk, (5) the Registrars of Voters, (6) the Corporation Counsel, (7) the Clerk of Committees, (8) the Treasurer and (9) other officers, department heads and employees subject to the provisions of the budget contract, collective bargaining agreement or other agreement.

City ordinances provide for the appointment of a Compensation Committee of the Council, to, “undertake a study in order to make a recommendation with respect to a salary adjustment for elected and appointed officials.”

The Council’s Compensation Committee considers raises for the different officials and reports its recommendations back to the full Council. The Council would typically be expected to refer the recommendations to another of its committees for further consideration.

The proposal is on the agenda of the September 9, 2020 Council meeting.