Mayor To Propose 1.5 Percent Salary Restoration
After cutting city employees’ pay by 4.6 percent in July, the City of Memphis is looking to restore some of it by Christmas.
Memphis Mayor A C Wharton is expected to propose a one-time 1.5 percent salary restoration for city employees during tomorrow’s City Council meeting. The move, which would mean a minimum of $600 for most employees, comes after the city found a surplus of $5.5 million after closing out the 2011 fiscal year.
“We have our challenges, but when you look at Detroit where employees are getting hit with a 10 percent cut or Chicago where they are cutting holidays, we are working through them,” Mayor Wharton said.
The surplus originated from efficiencies in city government, such as hiring and spending freezes.
If approved by the City Council, employees would see the one-time restoration on their December 22nd paychecks.
Mayor Wharton acknowledged that some may think the money should be kept in surplus or put toward the city’s debt service, but he made a promise to employees to restore their salaries when the city was able.
The Mayor said this proposal was the first step in fulfilling that promise.
