Marty Walsh

Board Votes to Increase Salaries for Top Boston City Hall Officials

Raises could be in the future for top officials at Boston City Hall thanks to a new advisory board hand-picked by Mayor Marty Walsh.

The Boston Herald reports the five-member Municipal Compensation Advisory Board (MCAP) voted Thursday to recommend a range of raises to Walsh for further consideration. Walsh can accept, reject or make changes to those recommendations.

The City Council must approve any proposed raises for themselves, the mayor and two dozen top officials whose salary ranges are set by city law, according to the Herald.

MCAP Chairman John Tobin said the recommendations were made based on a report from Segal Waters Consulting. According to the Herald, Tobin said high salary ranges were necessary to draw top candidates.

Two years ago, the council approved raises for itself and Walsh setting the mayor’s salary at $199,000 and theirs at $99,500. Currently, Walsh's salary is $175,000.

The mayor told the Herald he would not rule out taking a 4.2 percent salary bump the MCAP is recommending. If that were the case, Walsh's salary would increase to more than $207,000. Councilor’s salaries would increase to $103,000, according to the Herald.

Greg Sullivan, research director at Pioneer Institute and former inspector general for the state, says the city shouldn't approve such massive salary bumps.

"At some point there should come a time where the city just says, 'Can we afford this? Can we ask taxpayers for more?'" Sullivan told the Herald.

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